Eldan's Mage
by LadyAquanine73551
Summary: Dena always wanted to leave Nebraska, she just wasn't expecting a twister to do it for her, or to go to Eldan. Based on the classic 1939 film, this story presents the original characters in a way you've never seen before, with a 21st century twist.
1. Tahoe

**This was originally supposed to be a fantasy novel I was writing, because I was going through a **_**Wizard of Oz **_**phase back in the early 2000s. However, I didn't get around to trying to finish it until recently; when a special friend of mine inspired me to join in on the fun here on . **

**The story here is a post-modern version of the 1939 film, with my own flair thrown in ;) Have fun reading, and let me know what you think. **

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"This is gonna be some party!" 'Brina said excitedly. Dena smiled as she wiped the last of the tables. The boss had gone home for the day, leaving the two of them to clean up and close the diner down early.

"So when do you want me over?" Dena asked as they locked the front doors and went into the back.

"It starts at seven, 'kay?" 'Brina told her dark-haired friend as they entered the kitchen. The girls were only too happy to go home early, especially with the evening activities to look forward to.

Dena went around to the back of the kitchen and leashed up Tahoe, her beloved German Shepherd puppy. He'd been a recent gift from her great-aunt Edna, a sort of "anniversary" gift for the first year since Dena had come to live with her in Nebraska.

He was a delightful little pup. After being cooped up in the kitchen he was only too happy to see his owner again. He barked and gave Dena a kiss with his little pink tongue as she got him ready. The girl laughed and let 'Brina pet him while the two of them strapped on their roller-skates.

The Cosmic Diner was now closed up, and the girls were free to go home.

"Thank God it's summer," Dena said to her blond friend as they skated down the hot, dusty highway. Dry grass and rolling hills covered in acres of wheat, corn, and soybeans billowing into the horizon were enough to give anyone highway hypnosis, often causing travelers to become confused as to whether they'd traveled a hundred miles, or just one. Lucky for Dena and 'Brina, their slow travel by skates made it easier to endure the incredibly boring landscape. The two of them were dressed in the identical uniforms of their profession: pink, sleeveless shirts that had aprons with pockets low in front and the blue logo of the diner; long, dark blue pants, and matching skates they'd bought together when they first found out they'd be working in the same restaurant. They carried their shoes in drawstring bags on their backs. Tahoe trotted alongside them, happy to stretch his little puppy legs and be out in the sun. The late afternoon sun was on the girls' backs, but their spirits were too high to notice how hot they were getting. They were too excited about the party 'Brina was holding at her home later that evening.

When they reached the T-section, the girls said goodbye to one another and parted. As Dena skated down the long, asphalt road to her house, she whistled and little Tahoe trotted along, panting in the cute way his owner liked. She remembered why she'd named him that. Her family used to live near Lake Tahoe, on the California side. The country out there had been much more exotic compared to these dull farm fields and flat, endless horizon. At least in California, there'd been mountains that were never the same shape and broke up the horizon to create incredible vistas.

After Dena's parents died, she was sent (according to the will), to the only relative her parents had favored; Great-Aunt Edna. Dena remembered hating Nebraska back when she'd first moved there over a year ago. The town was too small and scattered, the landscape was too flat, and the weather wasn't worth dying for. Blazing hot summers, stormy springs, and freezing cold winters were just about all she could handle.

She ended up calling Edna her Nana, since the whole Great-Aunt thing was too long to say, and calling her "aunt Edna" didn't sound right either. Edna hadn't really approved at first, but she got used to it when she soon realized that her great-niece couldn't be swayed to call her anything else.

Dena _did _like the animals when she first settled on the farm, but she later learned just how much work went into caring for them, (including getting up at ridiculous hours of the morning), and she also learned just how disgusting some of the animals could be, such as the pigs, the chickens, or the horses. It seemed as if the baby animals were the only thing she could tolerate after a while.

But then again, the baby animals weren't the only cute thing on the farm. So were the hired hands that came once a week and stayed all the time during certain holidays. They ranged from high school age to college-age. They stayed in the guest house on holidays, such as the summer one going on. Dena showed interest in the three of them when she first met them last year, but later on she found out just how silly and annoying they could be.

First there was Ryan, the big-shot. He was a big muscled kinda guy. He loved to show off and do stupid, crazy things around the more dangerous animals on the farm. Dena often wondered how he got out alive from some of his more dangerous escapades. However, she came to learn that although he put on a big show of being the big bad boss over the farm animals, in truth it was all talk. Ryan was a huge coward if his little stunts went too far.

Next there was Skyler, the quiet one. He was rather on the thin, bony side, and yet the guy still amazed Dena at some of the heavy loads he volunteered to carry around the farm. He was surprisingly modest, and often blushed like crazy whenever he was complemented on doing something major, saying it was no big deal. After spending some time with him, Dena had learned that he'd been in a relationship in the past, and was still plagued by the memory of it. The girl could almost see the little black cloud that hung over Skyler's head from an earlier love who had once broken his heart. This caused him to be quiet most of the time.

And then there was Jake. Dena wasn't sure how to describe him. He was the youngest of the farm hands, only a year older than her at seventeen. Dena had considered him the cutest of the three, until he'd opened his mouth. Honestly, the girl felt he could keep his mouth shut every now and then. It seemed as if every time he was to say anything that would have been appropriate, Jake would blurt out something stupid or badly chosen for the moment. Dena knew he meant well, but somehow, there were just too many things he'd said to her that made her feel stupid or angry.

Either way, Dena had reluctantly adapted to life in Nebraska. Now she had friends, a home, a puppy, and a new life. She felt like a completely different person now. And with the excitement of having no school and 'Brina's party, nothing could ruin her summer at the moment.

If only she'd noticed the familiar picket fence growing up out of the grass on the side of the road. It wasn't until the last minute that Dena heard a meow and saw the ugly, hairless cat on the fence before Tahoe suddenly barked and bolted off after it. He did it so suddenly that Dena felt a painful jerk in her arm and was instantly lying on the ground, facedown. She looked up and saw Tahoe squeeze under the fence and continue to run after the cat. The nasty thing yowled like a sick banshee and flew over the grass like a gray streak of lightning.

"Tahoe!" Dena yelled angrily after the puppy. She jumped to her feet and skated fiercely along the fence, trying to find a way in before she considered climbing over it. She knew the house this fence surrounded all too well, and dread immediately reminded her just who the owner was. Before the sickening feeling had a chance to grow in her stomach, a loud, aggravating voice came out the front door yelling,

"Who's out there? Hey you! Get outta my yard, you mutt!" Out came Mrs. Wecktola, (or the "Weck" as some people called her), the bane of Dena's existence. She had been a long-time hated resident of the town, namely due to the fact that she owned half the property out there and didn't let anyone forget it.

Dena hated going past Mrs. Wecktola's house because the same thing always happened: Tahoe would see Squall, (the Weck's hideous hairless cat), and chase after him, trampling her gardens in the process. This was exactly what the pup was doing at this very moment. The cat was leading Tahoe through the vegetable and flower gardens as Dena tore off her skates and vaulted over the fence. When Mrs. Wecktola saw the girl, she immediately let out an angry sound and growled,

"Patsatzis!"

"Calm down woman, I'm on my way to get him now!" Dena snapped at the hag, trying to run as fast as she could after Tahoe in her stocking feet. They hurt at every rock and tree root that stuck up from the ground as she chased the puppy, though the idea of getting her feet cut was the last thing on Dena's mind.

"If you don't get that dastardly little monster out of my yard I'll call Animal Control!" Mrs. W snarled as she watched Dena stumble and fall through the gardens over and over again.

"I can't really talk right now, Weck, in case you hadn't noticed," Dena yelled over her shoulder as she chased Tahoe in circles around the yard.

"I don't care!" the Weck yelled, her twisted, leathery face contorted with fury, "I want that nasty thing out of my garden this minute! And you better watch your mouth little missy, or you'll end up in a cage yourself!" Dena wasn't too impressed by the Weck's artillery of words, nor was she willing to put up with it any more today.

"Put a sock in it, Weck!" she snapped.

The cat finally got wise and dashed up onto the roof of Mrs. W's house. Tahoe skidded to a stop by the wall and barked in outrage as the hairless beast yowled tauntingly from the eaves.

"Gotcha!" Dena said as she pounced on the puppy. Tahoe didn't stop barking and struggled to get out of her arms. Dena held him tightly, fighting to get him away from Squall.

Suddenly, Dena heard a bang from nearby, like a gunshot. Tahoe yelped in alarm. His owner flicked her head in the direction of the bang and saw a large scrape on the nearby downspout. _Bang!_ Another hole appeared in the ground near her feet. Dena looked up in shock to see Mrs. Wecktola with a long hunting rifle. She was shooting at the girl and her dog!

"I'll get you for your mouth you little wretch!" the old crone screamed as she fired off more shots. Tahoe shut up immediately as his owner ran for their lives. Dena just barely managed to leap over the fence and snag her skates before Mrs. Wecktola sheered off one of the fence posts.

Her heart racing along with her legs, Dena ran down the gravelly road, dodging two cars in the process. She kept on going until she was out of sight of the Weck's house and the range of her gun. She plopped Tahoe on the ground and sat next to him, breathing heavily from their wild escape.

"I can't believe what just happened," she said breathlessly. Tahoe pressed himself against Dena, whining in fear.

"It's okay buddy," Dena comforted the puppy, stroking his fur, "she won't get away with this. Nobody does for shooting around here do they?" Tahoe only lay down on the hot pavement and panted.

"Well _I'm _not gonna put up with this," Dena declared, "Come on Tahoe, we've got a call to make."

Dena pulled on her skates and was off in a moment. She whistled to Tahoe, and the little guy was on his feet and galloping beside her immediately. Dena didn't even bother with the leash now. The two of them went whizzing past dozens of hills, farm fields, and signs until they finally reached Nana's farm.

* * *

**What? You expected Dena to go to Oz in the first chapter? Lol, think again. Dorothy didn't exactly go to Oz in the first 5 minutes of the film either. I promise, there is an "Oz," just be patient and keep on reading :) **

**Here's some Oz Trivia for you ;) Judy Garland was 16 years old when they made **_**Wizard of Oz**_**. Calculating her birth year with 1939 would have made her 17, but MGM made the movie before her birthday. Dorothy was supposed to be 12, but the movie producers wanted Judy regardless of her age. However, they had to modify her appearance to look younger. At first it was done with a poofy dress, a blond wig, and "dolly" makeup, but the producer changed his mind and just wanted Judy to look more natural. Judy Garland had to wear a special corset under her costume that made her waist and chest look smaller so she'd resemble a pre-teen. (As you've noticed, Dena is 16 in this story, just like Judy :) **

**There was a studio legend saying that the people who made **_**Wizard of Oz**_ **originally wanted Shirley Temple to play Dorothy, but if you look into it, the guys who made the film had always wanted to cast Judy Garland, end of story. **

**I'd like to thank x-xMasqueradeAngelx-x for getting me started on this fanfic. She is an awesome writer, and if you're interested, go check out her homepage, it's got some really cool fanfics on it. **


	2. Farm Hands

** I will admit now that I've only been on tours through farms, though living in the Midwest, you tend to be well-acquainted with that sort of thing. [I don't live there now.] **

**As for the disclaimer, I'm not sure if any copyright laws really apply to the 1939 film version of **_**Wizard of Oz**_**, considering the age if the film, though just to make sure: **

**I do not own anything regarding the film **_**Wizard of Oz**_**. I lay no claim on thinking up the characters, story, or places. It all belongs to MGM & Warner Bros.**

* * *

Dena knew she'd reached Nana's farm, because of Marty the Scarecrow. A large cornfield stood by the long, long driveway that led to the farm, and guarding it was an ancient scarecrow everyone called Marty. Why he was named that, Dena hadn't a clue.

She quickly passed the stick figure on her skates and was soon skating onto the gravel in the main yard with Tahoe. It didn't take her long to find Nana. All she had to do was follow the yelling. Nana was in the chicken coop, shouting at one of the farm hands. Judging by the voice, it wasn't Skyler, Jake, or Ryan, so it had to be one of the day-hands. The farm was too large for just Nana and Dena's three friends to run, so a number of hired hands came in during the day to help as well.

Dena stumbled over to the hatchery, walking clumsily in her skates. She hated how none of the areas around the barnyard were paved, causing her to be unable to follow her great-aunt on wheels whenever and wherever she wanted. It irritated the heck out of her, and since Nana refused to pave at all, Dena had little choice but to ditch the wheels at home. Just as she was about to listen in, Nana suddenly came bursting out of the coop.

"Hey Nana!" Dena shouted, tearing her skates off again.

"Oh, hi Dena," the old woman said quickly before going back to her earlier argument.

"I thought I told you to make sure the fans were running in here," she scolded a farm hand, "you want the chickens to bake to death? They can't lay eggs in this kind of heat!" Dena hopped along as she attempted to get some more decent shoes on and follow Nana at the same time.

Nana was so deep in conversation over matters of the chicken population that Dena could hardly get a word in edgewise. To her, getting shot at by a crazy old hag was far more serious than a bunch of smelly, noisy birds.

"Nana!" she finally let out in a sort of whiny tone she didn't intend to use, "I got something really important to tell—"

"Juanita Dena Lian Patsatzis!" Nana snapped, "Please to God be _quiet_ for a moment! I'm busy!" The older woman sighed in frustration and held her forehead, probably due to another migraine, and went off to yell at her day workers some more.

Dena knew to back off when Nana used her full name. Was it her fault she was part Philippino? She actually hated her full name, because people were always messing it up. Even back at Lake Tahoe they did that. Just as she thought of it, little Tahoe was brushing against her leg, asking to be petted. The girl obliged and then went off to find the Dynamic Trio, as she sometimes called them. She found Ryan, Skyler, and Jake all tinkering with the John Deere, trying to get it running again. The over-sized lawnmower had broken down again.

"…I don't get why we have to hold this piece of crap up instead of using a jack," Skyler was complaining.

"Because the jack is holding up the chicken coop, and I'm better than that stupid thing," Ryan answered, for he and Skyler were holding up the mower while Jake was messing around underneath.

"You still haven't fixed that stilt on the coop yet?" Dena joined in.

"Oh, hi Dena," Ryan said. He and Skyler could only nod, since waving would have had dire consequences for Jake.

"Dena?" Jake said, before banging his head on the engine.

"Ow!" he yelled. He quickly scrambled out from under the mower, bits of oil on his shirt, face, and hands.

"Hey Dena, nice to see you," Jake greeted, clapping her on the shoulder. Dena was grossed out by the big smear of grease he left on her uniform.

"Eww, thanks a lot," she said, grabbing a rag as Ryan and Skyler put the John Deere down.

"Next time this thing conks out, _you're _holding it up," Skyler told Jake.

"Hey guys, there's something I need to talk about, since Nana is in one of her 'moods,'" Dena told them.

"'Sup?" Jake asked, all three now getting her attention.

"It's the Weck."

"Oooohhhh," the three of them all said at once.

"That old crone," Ryan said in understanding.

"I'm surprised that old fossil is still living," Skyler commented. Ryan then started heading for the pens.

"Aren't you gonna listen?" Dena asked.

"I'm listening, just follow me. I gotta feed the pigs."

"Fine," Dena said in satisfaction. She and the others followed the big guy over to the pens. It took her a moment to get used to the smell before going over to where the pigs were.

"Oh _God _these things stink," she complained.

"Be lucky this isn't a hog farm," Ryan said, "my uncle owns one, and you can smell it for miles before you ever even see it."

"Gross!" Dena wrinkled her nose.

"No kidding," Skyler agreed.

Dena found a seat up on the gate to the pen. Jake and Skyler leaned on it as they listened.

"Well, you guys know how I have to go past the Weck's house every day after school and work. Is it my fault Squall is there to make Tahoe chase him?"

"Who's Squall?" Jake asked. Dena glared at him.

"He's the Weck's ugly-as-a-rhino's-butt hairless cat." Skyler and Ryan snickered at this.

_How could Jake be so dense? _She asked herself.

"Tahoe always goes after that cat and chases it through the Weck's gardens. I honestly think that thing is evil."

"How come you've never tried a different route?" Jake asked, "If you took a different road, Tahoe wouldn't trample the Weck's flowers, and you wouldn't get into trouble."

"Nice try Einstein," Dena retorted, "the only road that leads directly home from town goes by that hag's house. What do you expect me to do? Take the road that goes five million miles to the south and then back home? I'll be stuck out there till next year or worse, you think I should walk through those fields? Do you have any idea how disgusting those corn fields are inside? They're full of bugs and crap!—"

"Okay! Okay!" Jake threw his hands up, "Sheesh! Put your claws away for cryin' out loud." Dena calmed a bit.

"Sorry, it's just, you guys all know what kind of a hassle this is for me. And if I left Tahoe here, he'd just cause trouble for you guys. Remember the time he chased every barn cat he came near?" Dena's three friends groaned, remembering all too well the chaos that had ensued from the barn cats being chased out into the yard.

"Listen Dena, are you gonna let this hag bully you your whole life?" Ryan asked, getting more pig feed out.

"What, you think she scares me? Heck no, she's just annoying," Dena told him, swinging her feet to and fro.

"Well then the next time she starts harping on you, just take a paintball gun and fire a few rounds off the top of her head. That oughtta shut her up real good," Ryan joked.

"Funny you should say that, considering she shot at me today with her husband's rifle," Dena commented irritably.

"She did what?" Jake and Skyler cried out at once.

Unfortunately they jiggled the gate Dena had been sitting on too much, and the girl went tumbling off into the pigpen. She fell face-first into the mud and was temporarily blinded while Jake fumbled with the latch. The girl couldn't even speak because she was spitting out mud, though she let her disgust and shock be known to half the farmyard. The guys had to act fast, because the hogs were notorious for eating anything that fell into their wallowing area.

Ryan stood there, petrified and shocked at what had happened, as well as Dena's news. Skyler finally got fed up with Jake's inability to open the latch, and Ryan's lack of action. He leaped over the fence, grabbing Dena up out of the mud and slinging her over his shoulder before climbing back out. He sat Dena down on a nearby bench and gave her a rag to wipe her face. The others rushed over to see if she was okay.

"Oh God that was horrible," the girl let out after a moment of wiping.

"What the heck is going on here?" a new voice demanded. The foursome looked up to see Nana. She had her hands on her hips and looked both worried and displeased at once.

"Dena fell into the pigpen," Skyler reported. Nana took in Dena's now soiled appearance.

"Yes, I can see that," she commented. "What have the three of you been up to?" Before anyone could explain, Nana changed her mind and waved them off.

"Never mind, I don't wanta hear it. You better have fixed that mower. I don't want it conking out again when the grass is getting cut." Immediately she went into farmer mode.

"Jake, I want the horses groomed _today_, not when you see fit. Skyler, either you muck out the barn or feed the animals, I don't care which one you do, just get it done. Ryan, do something about the chicken coop. That jack will not hold a coop _and _a bunch of people walking around inside it. Either use the cinder blocks down in the basement or fix the stilt. And I want no whining regarding how dark the basement is, it's not a dungeon. And Dena, take a shower."

With that she headed off to the main house. Dena and her friends exchanged glances before the threesome headed off to their various tasks. Though as Dena headed for the house, Jake couldn't help but follow.

"Dena?" The girl had just opened the screen door.

"What?" she asked.

"I'm sorry…about you getting in the pig pen." Jake managed to say.

"Fine," Dena relied flatly, "and next time you knock me in there, make sure I'm not on the gate."

"I'm sorry," Jake repeated, "what more do you want?"

"Honestly, sometimes I think you have less brains than Marty up the road." Dena said before going inside.

* * *

**Ok, I'll admit that Dena was being a little mean in this chapter. But after what happened last chapter, you can see why. Having to live in a different state from your home one and getting shot at by a crazy old lady can grate on anybody's nerves, wouldn't you say? And it's not unusual for people to take out their frustrations on friends and loved ones, since you know they'll actually listen to you. **

**I'll update soon, and once again I thank x-xMasqueradeAngelx-x for getting me started on this fanfic :D **


	3. Wrongfully Accused

**This chapter took all night to write, so I hope it's to everyone's liking. I really didn't want to write something like this so early in a story, but we all know what happened in Wizard of Oz, so there was no avoiding it.**

* * *

Dena came out of her room an hour later, fully dressed and fresh as a spring rain. Unfortunately that feeling evaporated the moment she stepped into the living room. Nana was on the couch, Mrs. Wecktola was sitting in the antique rocking chair, a man in a white coat stood at her side, and the county sheriff was standing by the door. They apparently had been in deep conversation before Dena had come in, because the group had quieted immediately and looked at her.

Dena stood there feeling really confused, and now somewhat violated at having the hated Mrs. W in her home.

"Weck—I mean, Mrs. Wecktola," she stumbled on her tongue, "what're you doing here? And what's with Mr. Suit & the Lone Ranger over there?"

Nana stood up.

"Dena, there's something we need to discuss." She sounded rather sad and strained as she spoke. Dena still felt confused and now a sense of dread had come creeping into her mind again. The feelings abated somewhat when she heard a whine and saw Tahoe crawling out from behind another couch, (one that she noted was as far from the Weck as possible).

"Hey Tahoe," she soothed, picked the furball up into her arms.

"Horrible thing," the Weck said under her breath, "should be turned into minced meat before he can do that to my Squall."

"Do what?" Dena demanded, glaring at her.

The sheriff came forward. "Miss Pazatis—"

"Patsatzis," Dena corrected.

"My apologies, Miss _Patsatzis_," the man said, "Mrs. Wecktola called this meeting to order to discuss your dog, Tahoe. There have been reports of…"

The man's words were lost on Dena, for has he spoke, she happened to take a closer look at the man in the white coat, and the portable kennel sitting on the floor by the front door. It was enough to tell Dena what the Weck was here for. Reality struck her like a dart.

"You're taking him away!" she cried out, interrupting the sheriff and clutching Tahoe even closer.

"Dena, calm down," Nana told the girl, but Dena was not to be calmed. She'd always worried that the Weck would have her way with Tahoe one day. That horrible crone had had it in for Tahoe ever since the little guy had first torn through her gardens. And now that day had finally come.

"You're County Animal Control!" Dena cried, pointing at the man's uniform, "You're going to take Tahoe away! I won't let you! Not in a million years!"

"Dena!" Nana immediately got up from the couch, "Calm down! Nobody's taking Tahoe away." She put her hands on Dena's shoulders in an attempt to calm her, but it did little to help.

"Yeah right!" Dena yelled, shaking her great-aunt off, "How do you know that's not what the motley crew over there came to do? Just because he chases that hairless mutant she calls a cat, doesn't mean he's to blame."

"You should talk, little girl," the Weck snarled, staggering to her feet, "I've had just about enough of that mutt."

"He's not a mutt!" Dena fired back, "He's a purebred German Shepherd puppy! And don't you _dare _call him that again!"

"Dena! Please!" Nana attempted to affirm over her niece's shouting, "This is not a way to behave in front of other adults, you know that. This outburst of yours is only going to make things worse."

"Worse? How the heck could it get any worse?" and the moment she said those words, Tahoe popped out of her arms and ran away down the back hall. Dena attempted to go after him, but Nana took a firm hold of her arm and forced her to sit down on the couch.

"This is important Dena," she said, now angry at her great-niece for her embarrassing behavior, "if you plan on dealing with other adults, you will be _quiet_ and _listen_, or I'll march Tahoe down to the animal shelter myself."

Dena was downright shocked at this. Nana was supposed to be on _her _side, not theirs! She stared open-mouthed as Nana attempted to gather herself and sat back down.

"I apologize for my great-niece's behavior," she told the sheriff, "you know how things are different when you're a teenager."

_I don't believe this, _Dena thought in horror, _you traitor!_ She stared venomously at Nana as the woman made an effort to smooth things over with the two men. Meanwhile, Dena now felt confused as to who she was angrier at, Mrs. Wecktola, or Nana. Her dark eyes would dart between Nana and the Weck, who in turn stared stone-faced at her.

"There have been numerous reports of Tahoe disrupting the peace and attacking both Mrs. Wecktola and her associates," the sheriff was saying.

"That's a lie!" Dena yelled, "We were always alone whenever this stuff happened."

"Is that so?" the Weck said, a nasty smile forming on her thin lips, "You don't recall that time when I had some friends over, and your little monster ruined a very important meeting?" That was when Dena vaguely remembered last spring, Tahoe had badly disrupted some sort of event the hag had been holding at her home, though whatever it was, it was minor, and it had only happened once. She refused to dignify the Weck's accusation with more than another angry stare.

"Miss Patsatzis," the Animal Control man spoke for the first time, "we're merely trying to protect Tahoe from causing any more damage to himself or the public. He's not a safe dog."

"You and the horse you rode in on, _pal!_" Dena snapped at him, "He's the nicest, sweetest creature on earth! Whatever the Weck told you, it isn't true." Nana had a mixture of horror, anger, and humiliation on her face, a combination Dena hoped never to see on her guardian again.

"Ma'am, if you do not calm down and cooperate, I'm afraid we're going to have to take the animal by force," the sheriff told Dena in an irritatingly calm tone.

"There's nothing you can do, _Patsatzis_," Mrs. W said her name like an insult; "The document was signed and approved." Dena whipped her head in the Weck's direction.

"What document?" she demanded. The sheriff brought out a yellow paper that looked almost too complicated for Dena to read, though she felt as if the world was starting to close in on her as she looked at it.

"There is proof that on a number of occasions, the dog Tahoe has repeatedly attacked Mrs. Margaret Wecktola, and there are witnesses," the sheriff told her.

"Witnesses my ass!" Dena exclaimed, throwing the paper back at him, "We were alone every time Tahoe chased that _thing's _cat. And do you _know _how many people are out on that road this time of year? Almost _none!_ You hear me? _None!_ Zippo! Zilch! Besides, Tahoe never even went _near _the Weck."

"Oh really?" Mrs. Wecktola demanded, "Then how do you explain this?" She lifted the skirt of her dress to reveal a large, blood-stained bandage wrapped around her lower leg. Dena's jaw dropped once more. That horrible woman was trying to make it look like Tahoe had attacked her.

"That's a bald-faced lie!" Dena shouted, pointing, "You probably did that yourself with that rifle you used on me this afternoon!"

"_What?_" Nana and the two men said in shock.

"Yeah, that old wee-atch over there shot at me today!" Dena accused, "All because she couldn't wait a few more minutes for me to get Tahoe out of the yard."

"Why, I've never handled a gun in my life," the Weck said, suddenly putting on an innocent tone, "I don't even have a permit, much less a pistol."

"Liar!" Dena shouted.

"Ma'am," the sheriff carefully had her step aside. "Is this young lady speaking the truth? Did you threaten her with a firearm?"

"No," the Weck told him, putting on the best poker face Dena had ever seen. The sheriff then turned to Dena,

"Were you actually injured?" Now the girl felt a little awkward on top of the chaos that roiled in her soul.

"Um…no, actually." She answered, not at all happy with the answer. The sheriff then asked both of them,

"Was there anyone else there to see this happen?" Dena reluctantly shook her head.

The man seemed to consider the two rivals for a moment before saying,

"I will investigate this further after the matter with the dog is cleared up. For the moment, I'm afraid you're going to have to hand over your pet, Miss Patsatzis."

For a moment, Dena stared in shock, now seeing that she was so trapped by all this that there was no way she could get out of it. The Weck was going to have her way with Tahoe, and now she had the law to back her up. When the sheriff made a move to go towards the back hall, Dena immediately blocked his way.

"No," she started quietly, but when the lawman's look became more determined, she immediately went ballistic.

"No! You're not taking my dog! I won't let you!"

"Officer!" Nana rejoined the conflict, "Show some sense here; you didn't even consult us on this before the order was signed, for God's sake! Dena, go to your room, now."

"No, I _won't_ go to my room, and I _won't_ let them take Tahoe!" the girl shouted at Nana. She immediately turned her tormented eyes back on the sheriff.

"Don't believe anything that…_thing_ has to say. She's just mad because someone dropped a house on her sister."

Suddenly, Mrs. Wecktola's face turned beet red and she shot up from the rocker.

"That will be quite enough!" she roared. Dena shot her a lethal look before the sheriff told the girl,

"If you don't move I will have to hold you for obstructing justice—"

"Officer, let me handle this," Nana said in a quieter tone. She came over to Dena and spoke as calmly as she could manage.

"Dena, don't do this. We can't afford to have this sort of thing to happen on the farm. No one will want to work for us and the harvest has been bad this year. Please…just do what the officer says." For a second, Dena saw a flicker of pain in her great-aunt's eyes, and the poor girl was torn between protecting her dog and preventing any more strain in her guardian's life.

In the end, she grew numb and slowly backed away from the door frame. Her steps became faster as she turned and ran to her room, slamming the door so hard the whole house shook. The Animal Control officer went back to gather the dog into his kennel. Nana watched this with an expression as numb as her great-niece's. She then turned her eyes to Mrs. Wecktola. For years she had seen that horrible woman bully people around town, and today she had gone too far. Nana spoke in a low, hard, and dangerous voice.

"I hope you're happy…_Wecktola_. You just broke the heart of a good and honest kid. You may think you can throw your weight around this town, but you will never get your way with me. If you had any sense left in you, you will leave my property and never come back, _ever_. Do you understand me?" The Weck's face remained hard and stony in regards to the brat's great-aunt, but she eventually got up and left, waiting in the truck for the two men.

**~/~/~/~/~**

After punching a few pillows and smashing a few items, Dena lay on her bed, crying. It nearly tore her up to hear Tahoe's squealing and whining as the Animal Control officer and the sheriff wrestled him into the kennel and carried him out. The tears lasted for what felt like hours, until Dena couldn't cry any more. She just felt so…numb. First her parents, now Tahoe.

Dena just couldn't take it any more. She couldn't stand this place, this stupid farm, and this stupid town that bowed down and kissed the wrinkled behind of a cruel and heartless harpy like the Weck. She had to get out of there. But where would she go?

The girl knew before she'd even got off the bed and looked at a photo of her old home. Lake Tahoe. She didn't care how it was done; she had to get back there, back to the life she missed so much. Yeah, the parents wouldn't be there, but at least she could be in a place that wouldn't remind her of Nebraska. She started packing immediately.

**~/~/~/~/~**

The Animal Control van sped down the sun-baked road at a steady pace. Since the town Dena had lived in was small, Mrs. Wecktola had had to call in the Animal Control officer from a larger town to the west. The sheriff had gone back to town while the Weck went with the other officer to see to Tahoe's final resting place.

However, neither she nor the Animal Control officer had any clue what lay in store for them. A storm had been forming off to the west, one so powerful that it caused many who drove near or under it to cringe at its intensity. It towered over the plains and filled up the western sky, the purplish-black thunderhead asserting its terrible majesty and power upon all who saw it.

Yet the Weck and the officer ignored the thunderhead, for storms were common in the region and they had work to do. But as they came within a mile of the storm, the gust front hit the van with such force that the officer had to fight to keep control of the wheel. Another gust slammed the van so hard that it actually rolled off the road and several yards into the nearest field. When it came to a stop, the back doors hung at skewed angles from their hinges.

On the other hand, luck was on little Tahoe's side, for the latch on his kennel had broken open in the crash, and the pup squeezed out of the bent iron mesh door. Quick as the flashes of lightning in the distance, Tahoe had climbed out of the van and was immediately racing back down the road towards town.

**~/~/~/~/~**

Dena had a plan now. She came out of her room dressed in a short, pale blue halter-top dress with tiny dark blue flowers and shimmery blue butterflies gracing the hem. Her long dark hair was now tied up and she had some very nice heeled blue sandals on. She wore a small backpack purse that matched her dress over one shoulder. Makeup hid the red puffiness around her eyes and the blotchiness of her cheeks, and it took a lot of self-control to do what she did next.

"Nana, I'm going out." She said in as level a voice as she could. Nana had been wandering the kitchen after the Weck's "visit," though now she eyed Dena suspiciously.

"Where do you plan on going?" she asked.

"'Brina's having a party at her house, and she invited me. I figured going would be easier than moping." The brunette said flatly.

"Fine," Nana said, though she was somewhat dubious bout Dena's mental state, "Be back by eleven, ok?"

"Understood," Dena said, "is it all right if I take the truck?"

"Yes, yes," Nana waved her off, heading towards the master bedroom. Dena watched her go before taking the next step in her plan.

She quietly went out the front door, but then went around the house and grabbed the suitcase she'd placed outside her window. It hadn't been easy prying the bug screen off, but the teen was determined now. At least 'Brina's party would soften the chaos going on in Dena's soul before she ran away for real.

She was heading for the truck when she heard a familiar barking coming from the driveway. Dena couldn't believe her eyes. It was Tahoe! How did he get back? The girl didn't care. Her little friend was home! She immediately ran over and swept up her furry friend into her arms, the two of them covering each other's faces with kisses.

"Oh Tahoe! I thought I'd lost you!" she cried into the little pup's fur. He obligingly licked up her tears. For a nanosecond, Dena reconsidered what she was doing, but remembered what would happen if she stayed. Tahoe's return strengthened her resolve.

"Come on Tahoe. We got a long trip ahead of us. But first, 'Brina's party."

* * *

**This was a pretty emotional chapter, very hard to write but it's done. I feel really sorry for Dena now :( **

**I actually studied meteorology for a time, though I'll try not to use any huge terms while writing, lol. But you guys will see some aspects they didn't talk about with the original "Wizard of Oz." And yes, I used a line from "Beetlejuice." I don't claim ownership of that movie either. **


	4. Twister!

**It hasn't been easy being a college student. Classes demand so much of you. It's only now I've been able to find time to write this chapter, & hopefully it won't be as sad as the last one ;) This one's gonna be a little bit longer than my usual chapter size. Being a tornado nut since I was 9, lol, and living in Tornado Alley at all gives one a healthy respect for Mother Nature….**

* * *

It didn't take long to get to 'Brina's house. She only lived five miles away from Nana's farm, which meant "next-door neighbor" in farmer talk. The sun had already vanished behind the large bank of clouds to the west, staining everything orange, red, and yellow.

Driving there had been the easy part. The hard part for Dena was keeping a straight face and pretending to be excited, despite what had happened at Nana's. Thankfully, 'Brina was so delighted to see her best friend at the door that she failed to notice the strained smile on her face. Dena had visited her many times before, so Tahoe was no stranger to the house either. The little guy immediately ran in and started playing with 'Brina's dog, Moppet.

There were at least ten other kids there that 'Brina knew in school, and already the house was throbbing with music and dancing. The living room had been cleared out and transformed into a makeshift dance floor. Dena danced along with her classmates and sampled the buffet that had been set up, but her heart wasn't into it. She was grateful that her friends were oblivious to her melancholy. It would've gotten very awkward trying to explain herself.

At one point, the party moved outdoors into the backyard, where 'Brina had set up a volleyball net and decorated the back porch with colorful party lights. Dena didn't join the guests, but merely wandered among the flowers and picket fence, taking in her friend's home before she was to leave it, probably for the last time.

She often wondered why her backyard wasn't as pretty as 'Brina's. Nana was often too busy with the farm to do anything special with the backyard, other than to plant trees and bushes. Also, Nana's farm didn't have the same kind of vista 'Brina's did. The land was higher here and one could see for miles around, including the distant town and a small copse of trees on the horizon that marked the next farm over. A creek also ran through the area, giving the landscape more life.

For a while, Dena watched the storm to the west. Growing up in California had ill-prepared her for how nasty the storms were here in Nebraska. Often she would be kept up at night from the thunder that seemed to boom across the land forever. People could always hear the storms long before they ever hit, and even then they could get pretty severe. Dena never understood why 'Brina or any of her other friends enjoyed watching storms here. What could be so great about watching a thing of such terrifying power?

For a brief time, though, Dena experienced the beauty and majesty of the purplish-black thunderhead that was progressing across the flat landscape. The great bank of clouds had grown in size and strength, soaring like a living cliff over the farm fields and insignificant people below. It too had become stained with orange and red light, swallowing up the sun before it had a chance to set normally. Dena could see pale purple flashes of lightning roiling in the storm, their distant rumbles just barely reaching her ears. The only thing that could add to the storm's chilling beauty were the few stars that had already appeared in the growing night sky.

Dena then saw a moving light out of the corner of her eye, and turned to see a lone van pulling up in front of 'Brina's house. She came around to the front porch and got a better look at it.

It was an RV, and a familiar one at that. Dena suddenly forgot all her worries and guilt, a big smile appearing on her face as she ran towards the vehicle. A man in his fifties opened the passenger-side door, reflecting the girl's smile with his own when he saw her coming.

"Adonnais!" the girl cried out, wrapping him in a bear hug.

"Dena! I'm so glad to see you!" he greeted warmly, "How're ya doing, Swizzle?" Dena laughed,

"Only you would still call me that." She then glanced over at his RV.

"How did you know I was here? And what are you doing here, anyway?" she asked. Adonnais led her inside.

He was her godfather, and had been so for the past sixteen years. He was one of the only things that remained of her life in Lake Tahoe. But soon after Dena's parents had died, Adonnais had decided to go tour the country, taking advantage of his motor home to go anywhere and sell antiques he collected during his travels. Dena envied him immensely, since she thought traveling the country was way better than being stuck in boring old Nebraska all the time. She loved his RV, not only because it was so different from a house that was anchored to one spot, but because he decorated it with all sorts of treasures.

"I happened to be in the neighborhood and wanted to stop by. I called Nana and she told me you were here, so here I am." He smiled as he brought them cups of juice to drink in the breakfast nook. Dena liked the nook especially because it had large windows and she had a view of the outdoors.

"Looks like 'Brina's having a real shindig," he observed.

"She hasn't had one in weeks," Dena replied, "and all our classmates were bored. Hence, the volleyball marathon that's now underway." Adonnais chuckled at this.

"So, running away again?" he asked out of nowhere. Dena's eyes widened.

"What makes you say that?" she demanded, getting somewhat defensive.

"Well, when I called Nana, she told me what happened, and I know you Dena. Back at Tahoe, you used to run away all the time when things didn't go your way. I had to keep my back door unlocked just so you wouldn't be caught out in the woods during one of your 'adventures.'" The girl grew red at this, because it was true.

Often when her parents fought, or if a classmate from school had been mean, or if the parents just wouldn't listen, she'd felt inclined to run off just to get their attention. It had worried her parents sick at first, but after a while they figured out her routine and eventually just let her run off to her godfather for a day or so until she was ready to come home. Adonnais had been the grandfather she never had. He was always full of words of wisdom, and never yelled at her over anything. He also never held back any secrets, but often told her things that made her think. Somehow, Adonnais always found a way to talk her into going back home, and now was probably not an exception to his wise nature.

"I'm sorry about your pet," Adonnais said with sympathy. Dena couldn't entirely bring herself to talk about him, though it surprised both of them to hear the little tyke whining at Adonnais's door. He went over to let the puppy in.

"Well whataya know, a visitor," he joked as Tahoe jumped inside.

"So this is the famed pup that's named after our favorite lake," the older man said, picking up the little German shepherd and petting him.

"I don't know how it happened, but somehow he made it back," Dena shrugged, "I'm just glad he's free. I'm not gonna put up with the Weck any more. Not after this."

"Oh her again," Adonnais understood, "it's amazing that nasty old fossil is still alive. She and your Nana have been enemies since they were kids."

"Really?" Dena perked up. She'd never heard this before.

"There's a lot you don't know about your Nana," Adonnais said as he sat back down in the nook, "She loves you very much, you know. Remember that it was she who suggested you apply for college scholarships this year. She knows you're unhappy living here, and that this isn't your home, per se." This was news to Dena, considering Nana had never told her that. "She's also spoken highly of you to me whenever I've come to visit. She sees a lot of your mom in you." Dena smiled shyly at this.

"I wish she'd tell me that," the girl said quietly, petting Tahoe as the little pup sat on the table, "all she ever seems to do is order people around, including me."

"Running the farm is hard for her, especially after your great-uncle died," Adonnais told her, "and she could have been much harsher with you than she has. Haven't you ever noticed that Nana doesn't make you do nearly as much farm work as Ryan, Skyler, or Jake?"

"Um, no, I hadn't," Dena replied, feeling a little awkward. She didn't realize until now just how kind Nana had been to her. Truth be told, the only work Nana had ever insisted the girl do was schoolwork.

Adonnais took another sip of his drink before looking the girl over.

"Where do you plan on going this time?" he asked.

"Um…Tahoe, I guess," she said, uncertain now.

"Wow, that's a lot closer than Australia!" Adonnais laughed. Dena couldn't help but giggle at the memory of her last "escape plan." But she was soon sobered up again.

"You do realize that California's been having a lot of problems right now," the girl's godfather said.

"Yeah, so?" she replied, not really caring because she was not big on watching the news. Seeing that he wasn't getting through to her, Adonnais changed tactics.

"Do you remember the last time you tried to run away? The first week after you moved here? Why did you come back home?" Dena thought for a moment.

"I'm not sure. I guess it was something you said to me over the phone."

"Precisely," Adonnais pointed out, "And now I'm going to tell you something very important. When you left that time, Nana was beside herself. Your coming to the farm was one of the best things that ever happened to her, considering she never was able to have any kids herself and had always wanted them. She used to spend hours telling me how much she wanted to see you, be a part of your life, but she could never afford to visit Lake Tahoe, due to the farm and finances.

"She was heartbroken when your parents died, considering she had been close to your mom and had always admired your dad. She took you in without question or conditions. It was her idea to get you Tahoe here, considering she knew how lonely you were. And don't forget the time you got the flu. She took care of you twenty-four/seven that time. She's often been pained at having you unhappy for so long, considering she has so little time to spare. It almost broke her heart that you left at all, and she was worried sick. I would suggest you talk things over with her before you consider running off to a place where no one knows you or will take you in."

Dena now felt very low at hearing this, since she hadn't thought that far ahead into her scheme, nor had it occurred to her that Nana really did care for her. All she could do was hold Tahoe close and stare at the tabletop as she mulled all this over.

Her thoughts were then interrupted by the sound of thunder. She glanced out the big windows of the nook and saw bright flashes of lightning. The storm had gotten closer during her talk with Adonnais, and now a mild sense of dread was worming its way into the back of her mind. Apparently she'd have to stay the night if she planned on going on to Lake Tahoe, or back home, whichever she chose.

Seizing the opportunity, Dena stood up and said, "I gotta get back inside before it rains."

"I'm glad I had the chance to talk to you Dena," Adonnais said quietly, though even now she could tell he was reluctant to see her go or finish the talk right there. Normally their visits were much cheerier than this.

When Dena got back inside, she found the party had died. All the guests were crowded around the TV or talking nervously in the kitchen. 'Brina found her and let out a small squeal.

"Wow, I thought you'd been abducted by aliens," she said, half-heartedly joking.

"It's ok, my godfather came to visit," Dena explained, putting Tahoe on the floor.

"Oh cool," 'Brina said, since she liked Adonnais too. However, the mood in the house was greatly subdued.

"What's going on?" Dena asked, frowning. 'Brina sighed.

"We got a Warning for our county."

"What?" the brunette said in alarm, immediately pushing around the taller guests to see the TV.

The radar on the screen showed a huge storm system moving at a steady pace across the state. Their county was shaded in red, and a loud, beeping line of words ran along the bottom of the screen. Now and then, a bulletin would appear, warning their town as well as the surrounding areas to take shelter. Tornado Warnings were not something to take lightly, especially not in Nebraska or the surrounding states.

Just seeing the multiple warnings added to the growing fear that began to grip Dena's heart. She could see Nana now, not making it to the old storm cellar and getting sucked up like in the movies. More than once Dena had seen tornadoes whirling away in the distance in her short time in Nebraska, and her fear of them had skyrocketed in the past year. Even worse, she could easily imagine a twister wreaking havoc on the farm, attacking the animals, ripping up the farm fields, tearing the house apart, and taking up the farm hands along with Nana. She had to go back. She had to.

Before she even knew what she was doing, Dena grabbed her purse and Tahoe and was heading for the front door. 'Brina saw her friend leaving and immediately blocked her way.

"Where are you going?" she asked tensely.

"I'm going to make sure Nana is all right," Dena replied, shoving past 'Brina.

"Are you crazy?" 'Brina exclaimed, "You can't go out there right now! What if the twister catches you on the road? You'll get tossed!" Dena ignored her friend as she climbed into the truck.

"What am I supposed to do?" she yelled out of driver's window, "Stay here and let Nana die?"

"_Yes_, you're supposed to stay here," 'Brina yelled urgently over the growing wind, "your aunt will be okay. Don't get yourself killed over nothing!"

"I don't care!" Dena retorted, starting the engine, "Don't try and stop me 'Brina, I'm going to help Nana." There wasn't much the girl's friend could do but stand there and watch the truck tear off into the windy, storm-lit darkness.

**~/~/~/~/~**

Little did Dena know that the twister had already touched down, its great funnel tearing through the plains with no regret at the damage it left behind. It was cloaked in darkness, only to be seen by the occasional flash of lightning, which actually made it harder to see the tornado in all its horrifying intensity.

Dena had to fight the wind with her truck, and rain pounded the front windshield. Tahoe huddled on the floor as best as he could, whining in fear. His owner failed to hear him, but simply drove as straight as she could down the long highway. The high beams and wipers were little help in the heavy rain. Even worse, hailstones began to fall, some as large as baseballs, and a few made cracks on the windshield. Dena stopped under an overpass and let the hailstones finish before continuing on to Nana's.

The rain and hail stopped very abruptly as she drove along the highway, though she nearly caused the truck to skid when she saw Marty flying over the road. The scarecrow was little more than an afterthought now. Dena could barely maneuver the truck into the front driveway. Her heart pounded as she grabbed her purse and Tahoe, the wind tearing the truck door off as soon as she got out. She could barely see, since the power had been knocked out and the storm had blocked out what little twilight was left.

Dena then heard a strange whistling sound, and in a flash of lightning, she screamed and ducked as a piece of barn wall flew over her head. Trash and dust flew past her bare legs, threatening to knock her over as she made her way towards the house. That was when she heard it.

It was like a roll of thunder at first, but it stayed at one tone and kept going on and on. The wind died down slightly, and as the sound grew, Dena got the impression of a plane that was flying too close to the ground. That was when the lightning flashed, and the sound of thunder made her jump. More lightning flashed, and she turned to behold one of the most terrifying sights she'd ever witnessed. The great funnel was like a larger than life pillar of death, its black fury petrifying her. Dena was too scared to even scream, and she didn't notice when Tahoe jumped out of her arms and ran towards the storm cellar.

Then the wind picked up again, and a bale of hay smacked into Dena. It knocked the sense back into her, as well as knocking her down. She yelped in shock and then realized Tahoe was missing.

"Tahoe? Tahoe! Get back here!" she yelled as the wind regained its strength. Now it was like a giant, invisible hand, pushing as hard as possible against her and making her dress flutter about as she struggled towards the house. The girl found Tahoe whining and scratching at the outside of the cellar doors, and now Dena cursed Nana for not connecting the old basement to the house.

The roar of the wind grew, and more stuff from around the farm started going airborne, banging against the house and nearby buildings. She heard the sound of metal twisting and saw the lawnmower now rolling away. Despite her best efforts to bang on the storm door and yell, the wind and smashing debris drowned her out, so there was no way Nana or anyone else down there would know she desperately wanted in.

That was when Tahoe rushed off around the house.

"Dammit Tahoe! What the hell do you think you're doing?" the girl shrieked as she chased after him, the wind constantly threatening to push her over. The little guy ran through the flap in the back door, forcing Dena to go in after him.

"Tahoe, the basement is _that _way," she called, chasing the pup through the back halls.

"Stupid dog!" she growled as she followed him around the dark house. The tornado sounded even worse indoors, though it was nice to be out of the wind and debris.

Dena finally caught the pup in the living room.

"Gotcha!" she yelled in triumph, ignoring the puppy's squealing and protests. That was when both of them heard something banging outside, and a quick look out the windows revealed the truck rolling and bouncing towards the house, now a victim to the twister's gruesome winds. Dena's eyes widened, and she was about to run, when the truck smashed into the wall and knocked it over on top of her. Tahoe's barking was the last thing she heard before blacking out…

* * *

**Boy am I getting the willies now :S Let's just hope Dena's ok. I've never actually been in a tornado, but I've been close to one, and that was scary enough. **

**It's interesting about the twister in the original Wizard of Oz movie. It looks so real and fake at the same time. You guys might find it surprising to learn that the film-makers used a lady's stocking attached to a truck. (The truck was what made the dust cloud in the movie). **

**For any who might be curious, the godfather's name is pronounced "ah-duh-ny-as." **

**Stay tuned, all is not lost, and Dena will return! **


	5. The Sonchils

**Well, now that we have all the unpleasantness out of the way, time to have some fun :D As promised, Dena has returned!

* * *

**

Dena woke up to Tahoe whining and licking her in the face. There was dappled sunlight in her eyes, causing her to shield them immediately.

"Tahoe, quit it," she giggled, smiling at the sweet little doggy waking her up. He seemed to do that every morning for her.

"Man, Tahoe, I had the worst dream last night," she told the pup as she rolled over, "the Weck was taking you away and I was running away with you, and…" But when she reached over to check the clock on her nightstand, all she found were ferns and a broken piece of wood.

"What the…" Dena's eyebrows knit together.

Immediately she sat up and realized she was not in her room. She still wore the blue halter dress she'd worn to 'Brina's party, and there were trees and bushes everywhere.

"Tahoe, what's going on here?" she asked the pup, though all he did was wag his tail, happy that his owner was awake. The girl got up and looked around, finding she was standing in a forest of very tall, very delicate-looking trees that soared up overhead.

The forest floor was covered in ferns, bushes that had leaves like fans, and a soft, feathery kind of grass carpeted the ground. What really caught Dena's eye was the fact that all the leaves and greenery were turquoise, not the usual emerald shades one would find. Also, as Dena took a few steps forward, she noticed a path of destruction. Many of the trees had had their branches broken off or had been badly ruffled, and pieces of broken wood littered the place. She picked up one and saw a piece of familiar-looking wallpaper clinging to it. That looked just like the wallpaper from her living room…

"_Nana!_" Dena cried.

Memories of the storm and the wild ride to get home flooded back into her mind. She immediately rushed forward, her backpack purse bouncing wildly as she called out Nana's name, slapping tree branches aside in her wild rush to find her guardian. Dena didn't know how she'd gotten there, but she had to find Nana. It was important that she knew her great-aunt was safe. Tahoe followed faithfully behind her, hopping over pieces of wreckage and trotting around bushes to keep up.

At some point, Dena slowed down and picked her way around some more debris.

"Crud, you'd think they would at least put up a sign to say what this place is," she complained to Tahoe, "hey, you think we died and…whoa!" Dena had been pushing aside some branches when she saw something that made her jaw drop.

The land fell away and spread out before her, revealing an incredible valley surrounded by snow-capped mountains. It must have gone on for miles, and was filled with more of the turquoise forest, as well as sky-blue rivers and lakes. A crystal blue sky soared overhead, accenting the rich land below. It was an unbelievable sight. Even the beauty of Lake Tahoe would be put to shame by this place. Dena simply couldn't believe her eyes.

She noticed something twinkling off to her left, and went carefully away from the grass-covered cliff. The girl followed the glimmering until she finally pushed some tall bushes aside and saw another sight that took her breath away.

It was some kind of Roman-like village, though instead of marble, all the buildings were fashioned out of crystal that glittered and shimmered in a rainbow of colors. Flowering trees and bushes seemed to grow out of the glassy tiles of what looked like the main plaza, and flowering vines wrapped around the many pillars that held up the buildings. The flowers themselves looked like jewels, and many were larger than Dena's face or hands. A large fountain stood in the center of the plaza, its waters cheerfully bubbling away in the bright sunlight.

Dena stared wide-eyed at this for a moment, and then quietly walked in, her dark eyes taking in the beautiful sights. Now that she was in the plaza, the buildings all had a smallish look to them, and the place was curiously deserted. Tahoe followed faithfully behind her, panting happily and sniffing everywhere. It was several minutes before Dena finally was able to speak.

"Tahoe, if this is still Nebraska, then I'm a monkey's uncle." The little shepherd sat down on the glassy tiles and merely smiled at his owner. Dena glanced around, wondering what the heck had happened. Was it possible she'd gotten sucked up by the tornado? But that didn't make much sense. Tornadoes usually dropped everything right after losing power, and normally in or near the state they'd formed in. This place wouldn't even be a candidate for the United States, much less Nebraska.

Just then, Dena heard something whistling loudly through the sky like a firecracker. She glanced up to see a bright streak of white light flying over the forested hills. Whatever it was, it was headed straight for the plaza. Dena's eyes widened. She immediately grabbed Tahoe and ran for cover under the porch of the nearest building. There was a loud splash as the bright ball of light landed in the fountain. Dena ducked behind a pillar to avoid the shower of water that ensued, holding Tahoe tightly. The little pup began to whine and struggle, forcing his owner to put him down.

Glancing up, Dena saw a sopping wet woman in a magenta kimono-dress standing in the fountain.

"Stupid spell, could never get that thing right," the woman muttered in complaint, stepping out of the fountain and pulling her wet, dark pink hair away from her face. Dena watched as the woman whipped a sparkling silver wand out of her wide sash. She pointed it at herself and the wetness vanished. The girl's eyes widened in astonishment, for now she saw the strange, magic-wielding woman in all her glory.

Her gown shimmered in many shades of magenta, and her dark pink hair was an explosion of curls that tumbled down her back. She had a beautiful, elfin face that many models would have killed for, and her indigo eyes seemed to glow and sparkle. She wore a silver tiara that wrapped across her forehead, with tiny pink crystal roses woven in. Her very presence seemed to make the crystal forum glow with warm pink light. The woman seemed to be looking for something, for she now wore a look of confusion on her lovely face.

As if on cue, Tahoe immediately ran up and started sniffing the hem of the woman's gown. The woman smiled and kneeled down to pet the puppy.

"Why hello there," she said sweetly.

"Hey, Tahoe, get away from there," Dena ordered, not knowing whether to be scared or amazed by the strange woman in pink. She stopped in her tracks as the woman caught sight of her.

"Ah-hah! So _you _must be the angel," the woman said with satisfaction.

"Excuse me?" Dena asked in flat confusion.

"The Sonchils sent me a text," the pink woman said, pulling out what looked like a very fancy PDA, "saying somebody dropped dozens of spears out of sky and skewered the White Norn. Pretty creative if you ask me. That old hag had it coming."

"Wait a minute, what are you talking about?" Dena wanted to know, "And what the heck are Sonchils?"

"Oh, you want to see? You did it, after all. Come on."

Before Dena could protest, the pink woman grabbed her hand and dragged her towards what looked like an amphitheater, pointing with her wand at the mass of wreckage. The girl could now see where the rest of her house had gone. It was very unnerving to see the farmhouse she'd lived in for a year now in a pile of rubble, especially with the arm and leg of what must have been a woman sticking out. What was even more unnerving was the fact that the arm and leg both had pure black skin on them, as well as the leg having something red glittering on it. She quickly had to look away.

"Yep, no more White Norn for these Sonchils, I guarantee you." The pink woman said matter-of-factly.

"Why do you think I did it? I was unconscious for God's sake! I was trying to hide from a twister, lady!" Dena protested. All the pink woman did was smile.

"Thank you for showing respect, Angelic One, for I am a Lady."

_Is this woman on drugs or something? _Dena wondered.

"Look, I'm not an angel, okay? I'm Dena." The teen told her. The pink woman immediately looked to Tahoe.

"Is he—?" Dena shook her head.

"Nah, he's just my doggy. He's a German shepherd and his name is Tahoe."

"What a noble name," the pink woman commented kindly.

"Where am I?" Dena asked. A deep, meaningful smile crossed the woman's face.

"Why you're in the Land of Eldan, sweetie. This is the land of magic and dreams. A land where all who want the impossible will make it possible."

"Who—what exactly are you anyway?" the girl inquired. Almost in answer, a pair of large, dark pink and white butterfly wings snapped up from behind the pink woman's shoulders. Dena jumped in surprise.

"You're a fairy?" she asked.

"Yep, I'm Lady Gilda, Rose Faery of the Southwest. And you're from…where?"

"Nebraska," Dena answered, though for a second she felt like telling Gilda she was really from Lake Tahoe. It was too late, however.

"Wonderful," the woman said in delight. The faery immediately went back to the plaza and let out a clear, shrill whistle.

"Yo Sonchils! She's safe! Come on out!" the faery yelled in a somewhat unladylike manner. Dena heard a lot of giggling suddenly come from everywhere, as if dozens of little kids were hiding and making a joke out of it. She joined Gilda in the plaza, many questions still on her mind.

"What are Sonchils?" she repeated her earlier question.

"They're the people who live here, silly," Gilda told her, "this is their land. The White Norn ruled them for nearly two hundred years until you came. You're their hero, you know. Until you dropped in, they were her slaves."

Before Dena could ask more, she heard a great commotion, and saw what looked like dozens upon dozens of children come racing into the plaza. But what caught her eye was the fact that they all had fairy wings, wore brightly colored clothes, and each had large, jewel-like eyes. Dena couldn't help but smile at how cute they were.

"Oooh, she's pretty…" She heard one of them say.

"She must be an angel, for she fell from the sky," another whispered eagerly.

"What if she's a witch? We should find out," a third said.

Gilda then offered Dena her hand. The girl shrugged and let the faery lead her up to a platform near the fountain.

"I introduce to you, Dena," Gilda announced to the child-like Sonchils, "she is the miracle you have been praying for for so long, having come down from the stars to vanquish the White Norn. You are now all free!" Dena immediately blushed at this, feeling very silly for all the attention she was getting.

"But what is she?" one of the boy Sonchils wanted to know, "Is she good or is she evil?"

"_Good! Good!_" Dena burst out without thinking. The Sonchils cheered with delight. The girl smiled modestly, though she felt like biting her own tongue for saying anything.

"Is she a witch? We have to know," another boy Sonchil called.

"No, I'm _definitely _not one of those," Dena answered.

"But only another witch can destroy the White Norn!" a girl Sonchil declared.

"It takes more than a simple witch to do what Dena here has just done," Gilda said with pride.

"She's pretty," Dena heard one of the girl Sonchils whisper loudly, "she must be a princess."

"That's what she is! A princess!" the other Sonchils said with delight.

"What the—" Dena began dubiously.

"What a marvelous revelation," Gilda agreed with the Sonchils. She immediately had Dena kneel, with much protest, and said for all to hear,

"I now declare you, Princess Dena! May all who see you know of your royal status." She touched her wand to the girl's forehead, and a lovely tiara of silver filigree appeared there. A shimmery tattoo of silver swirls also formed on Dena's right shoulder. All the Sonchils in the plaza kneeled before her.

"Um…thanks," Dena said, wondering if her face could get any redder. She then couldn't take it anymore.

"Listen, it's not what you think at all," the girl piped up, whipping off the tiara,

"I was trying to hide in my house when a tornado—you know, a whirlwind—sucked up my home. I think it knocked me out, because I don't remember any of it, and I guess I somehow got here. Though how that happened I have no idea…" It didn't seem to matter what Dena told them, the Sonchils were set on believing she was their savior. Almost immediately they began singing praises and changing the very story she told them, saying she had been chosen by the gods to slay the White Norn, that she turned her house into heavenly spears and threw them down from the sky, and yada, yada, yada.

Tahoe wasn't the least bit bothered by what was going on. He merely grew excited at all the new people and took immense delight in getting petted by dozens of small hands. The Sonchils immediately saw he was their "princess's" pet, and declared any creature like him to be good luck. Dena covered her face with her hand and shook her head, sighing with defeat.

_Seriously, I'm not the hero these kids say I am, _she thought dejectedly.

She then felt a gentle hand on her shoulder and saw Gilda with an understanding expression in her eyes.

"Don't worry about it," she told Dena, "regardless of what happened, you are part of a great deed that has taken place. Enjoy the fun while you still can."

"Thanks," Dena said, smiling a little, for now Gilda reminded her vaguely of Adonnais. She let the faery take the crown and put it back on her head. Dena gave up and figured it was best that she just mellowed out; especially after all she had been through in the past twelve hours.

At that moment an open litter drawn by winged ponies showed up, and Dena was ushered in. A little Sonchil girl in yellow came up with a bouquet of flowers for her.

"Thank you so much for saving us, princess," she smiled sweetly, handing her gift to the newly crowned royal. Dena couldn't help but smile at her and accept. Just as the party was about to start, Gilda rose up in the air and announced to all,

"Spread the word Sonchils. At last we are free of the White Norn!"

* * *

**A bit fluffy, but then again, Munchkinland was fluff in itself, lol. You guys can start singing "Ding-Dong the Witch is Dead" now, though she's not known by that in Eldan. Don't ask where I got the name for the Sonchils. Just came to me one day while writing, hee-hee ;) Yes, I used a term from Norse mythology, but believe me, it means something different here. **

**In regards to directions, I'm going to tell straight out right now that things are a little different in Eldan, compared to Oz. I was born in California, so the southwestern US means something special to me, hence why Gilda is from the southwest regions of Eldan. The White Norn is from the same direction as the Wicked Witch of the East. **

**It might interest you to know that in L. Frank Baum's books, Dorothy was crowned princess of Oz later on in the series, and was an official friend of Princess Ozma's. It's just that nobody ever made any movies far enough into the books to learn that. **

**The movie has some interesting facts too. The lady who played Glinda was in her **_**fifties**_** when they filmed **_**Wizard of Oz**_**, can you believe that? (She sure didn't look fifty). **

**The people in casting also had to go all over the world to find enough Little People to play the munchkins, since dwarves are pretty rare at any time in the world. It was said that when they were all brought together behind the scenes, they were very excited to see other people just like them. It's no surprise that many got married after the movie was made, lol. **


	6. An Uninvited Guest

**Okay, I had to post this chapter alongside the other one, because I didn't want the guys out there rolling their eyes and calling this a chick flick fanfic :P Believe me, it's not…at least, not entirely. Plus, it may seem like a Disney Princess dream in the last chapter, but Eldan has some surprises…some not so pleasant…**

* * *

The celebrations went on all day. Dena went along with it, though some of the things the Sonchils did made her either laugh or roll her eyes. By mid-afternoon the child-like fairies were already commemorating monuments and statues to their rescuer, something Dena initially found as embarrassing as being made a princess, but at the same time she was slightly flattered. No one had ever paid this kind of respect for her before, and all that was going on overwhelmed her.

Gilda was ecstatic about helping out with the celebrations, using her magic to decorate the main plaza of the town, making statues and busts of Dena materialize for the Sonchils to put in their museums, and even placing an obelisk next to the amphitheater as the historical site of the White Norn's demise.

It wasn't until later that afternoon that Dena's legs started to itch for some strange reason. As she danced along with her newfound friends to some delightful music, the girl couldn't help but notice a bank of clouds had gathered in the pristine sky overhead. She shrugged it off within moments, guessing that even Eldan got its spring showers. But all that changed when a strange red fog started creeping into the plaza.

No one noticed at first because of the celebrations. The fog threaded through in thin tendrils, permeating down by the ground. But within minutes it grew thicker and started climbing around buildings and trees, bringing with it a terrible smell.

Dena stopped in mid-dance and pinched her nose.

"Good God, who brought the garbage dump?" she asked.

"What's that?" the little girl Sonchil in yellow asked.

"Never mind," Dena waved off. The other Sonchils gradually stopped dancing and the entire atmosphere of the plaza became tense.

Dena picked up Tahoe and went up on the main platform and found Gilda standing there, looking unusually apprehensive. It was the first time she'd seen the overly jolly faery without a smile on her lovely face.

"Gilda, what's going on?" the girl asked. The faery only looked at her with fear in those indigo eyes.

The red fog had thickened, though it concentrated in the middle of the plaza in a growing cloud. The air grew hot and bristled with static electricity. Suddenly, a large red bolt of lightning flashed, releasing a deafening crash of thunder. A great red flower of light exploded in the air over the plaza, releasing what could only be described as a terrifying monster from its depths. It looked like something across between a panther and a dinosaur, its claws digging into the pavement as it landed, releasing a blood-curdling roar that could have flattened a forest.

Sonchils were running and screaming everywhere, but when the beast roared, they hid, not uttering a single sound, their fear was so great. Dena was nearly knocked over by the great crescendo of noise, though she hid behind a motionless Gilda, watching to see what happened next. Even Tahoe was too terrified to whine, his small furry body quivering in Dena's arms.

An armored boot landed on the pavement next to the monster, followed by a second, a flowing of dark robes, and the bottom of a dark staff. The ground turned black and thin cracks of glowing red lava appeared under the soles of the boots. The very air had grown hot and dark with smoke. The sky had darkened as if the storm of all storms had arrived, and all was very eerily quiet. The boots slowly turned and walked in a methodical, stalking motion, each thudding step causing the glass tiles under them to melt and reveal threatening lava. The staff thudded just as loudly, leaving black smoke in its wake.

The boots belonged to a tall, statuesque woman with pure white skin. She seemed both scantily clad in long black robes, while at the same time wore bits of armor made in dark-colored metal all over her. A spiked headdress of the same dark metal crowned her head and framed her face, allowing her long, long black hair to stream wild and free down her back. She had smoldering black eyes, and lips the color of blood. Her intense beauty belied the terrifying aura she gave off, and it seemed she wore a permanent look of dark, calculating anger on her face.

Dena watched, having no clue what to do as the frightening woman stalked off towards the far end of the plaza. She came up behind Gilda and whispered as quietly as she could,

"Who is that?"

"The Black Norn," Gilda answered gravely in whisper.

"You didn't tell me there was a _Black _Norn," Dena hissed, keeping an eye on the black-clad woman.

"You didn't ask," Gilda whispered in reply.

"Well now I'm asking," Dena whispered irritably, "who is she?"

"She's twin sister to the White Norn."

"You're kidding!" the teen whispered in surprise, "I thought you said the white one was a hag. If they're twins, she must have been very….um…pretty?"

"Their beauty is only maintained because they're witches. Otherwise both are extremely old," Gilda explained, "And things must be very bad if she is here. The Black Norn is said to be the worst of all the witches in Eldan." Dena was about to ask something else, but the faery suddenly shushed her and pointed.

The Black Norn had gone over to the amphitheater, taking in the sight of Dena's wrecked house with little reaction. Though a cruel smile seemed to play at the edge of her blood-red lips, and she kneeled down to inspect what was left of her deceased twin. However, within moments the faint smile disappeared in a look of shock, which soon turned to a blazing hot rage. A growing roar escaped the Norn's lips, rising into a terrible sound of fury that filled up the entire area. She stabbed her staff into the ground and an explosion of red thunderbolts struck in a great circle around the area, blasting buildings, shattering crystal pillars, and even setting a few things on fire.

"All right, who took them!" the Norn snarled, stalking back into the plaza, "Who _dares_ thwart the laws of magic?!" Her black eyes immediately latched onto Gilda,

"Tell me who did it, powder-puff!" She was at the foot of the platform in seconds.

"The name is Lady Gilda, _Norn_," the faery said in a hard, firm voice, "and you have no business being here. Be gone!"

"I will speak to you in any way I feel like, _pansy_," the Norn spat, "Someone had a hand in my twin's demise. If it was you, I'll see to it that you never see Eldan again!"

"I had nothing to do with it, witch." Gilda proclaimed, keeping a cool, steady gaze on the Norn.

The Norn believed her, though her cruel dark eyes then turned towards the Sonchils hiding behind the nearby pillars.

"If you will not tell me who's responsible, I'll just have to get it from one of these pips. They might be more reasonable…." She started walking around, taking in the few Sonchils out in the open that had thrown themselves prostrate on the ground to avoid being noticed. They quivered in fear as the witch approached, the searing heat of her aura causing their little wings to wilt.

Dena saw her heading towards the little girl Sonchil in yellow, her heart plummeting in dread. _No_……she thought, hoping against hope.

"Ah," the Norn said, grabbing the girl Sonchil by the arm, her long nails digging into the poor fairy's skin, "perhaps _this _one is willing to talk—"

"—_No!_ _Wait!_" Dena cried out, coming out behind Gilda for the first time.

"Dena!" Gilda said, startled. She had been watching the Black Norn, her hand tightening around her silver wand, ready for anything. She had not expected Dena to get involved in this.

Immediately the Norn pointed her staff at Dena, blasting a great red stream of magical fire. However, Gilda instantly got in front of the girl and a shield of violet light sprang up, holding off the attack. The spell ended abruptly, an eyebrow raised on the Norn's frowning face. She tossed the Sonchil aside, forgetting her.

"It appears you've learned some things in your time of exile Gilda," the Norn commented, her eyes narrowing.

"Your sister may have taken these lands from me in a game of trickery," the faery said, "but now that she's dead, the wager is void. It is true; I _have _learned some new things while I was away. I am Guardian of these lands again, and it's going to stay that way."

"You're a fool if you think that," the Black Norn objected, "What did you do with the Anklets?"

"Oh, you mean these?" Gilda said innocently. She suddenly grabbed Dena's hand and dragged her forward. The girl looked down and saw a pair of delicate strands of rubies around each of her ankles.

"What the hell? Where did these come from?!" Dena cried out in alarm, "Don't drag me into this!"

Just as she finished her sentence, the Norn let out another roar and attempted to attack Dena with her bare hands, but she ran into a barrier of violet magic the moment she stepped towards the platform. She hit the barrier in her anger, but could not cross it.

"You have no right to those!" she howled at Dena, "Hand them over, now!"

"Stop your belly-aching, Norn," Gilda chided, "You know the law, first come, first serve, and you were second." The Norn let out an angry noise and attacked the barrier once more, to no avail.

"Norn, you have no power here and you know it. Leave if you know what's good for you. And take that horrid beast of yours with you!" Gilda kept her gaze level with the Black Norn's for a moment, never showing the fear that quivered behind her bravado. The dark witch considered for a moment, and then looked at Dena murderously.

"This isn't over, brat. I'll have those Ruby Anklets eventually, and then you'll all pay, but most especially _you_." Her gaze flickered briefly to Tahoe before turning. She stomped over and leaped onto the four-legged monster she had ridden in on, the beast letting out a howl of aggravation. It then leaped into the air and vanished in an explosion of red light and smoke.

All was quiet for a few minutes. When Gilda was sure the Black Norn would not return, she soothed the Sonchils into getting back up. Dena, however, could not be soothed.

"All right, that's it, I'm outta here," the teen declared, rushing off the platform. Gilda and the Sonchils watched her with odd looks on their faces, wondering just what their new princess was up to.

Dena had seen many evil people in movies and TV shows, but never had she actually come close to a real live witch, and the concept had made her almost want to scream in fear. Especially when she almost got fried by that magical fire. Eldan had seemed like a beautiful and fairyland-like place before, but now it was clear that this place was not all that it seemed.

She rushed to the edge of the plaza where she'd come in, clasping her hands in a sort of prayer (or as best as she could with a still-petrified Tahoe in her arms), saying out loud,

"There's no place like home, there's no place like home!" And yet no matter how many times she said it, she remained at the edge of the strange, crystal town in the middle of a turquoise wood.

"What are you doing?"

Dena jumped and turned to see Gilda floating down to the ground behind her.

"Whataya think I'm doing? I'm getting the futz out of here!" Dena exclaimed. She went back to chanting the age-old catch-phrase. The pink faery watched for a moment.

"You can't leave now, Dena. This is much too important," Gilda told her.

"Oh yeah? Watch me," the girl retorted. She went back to chanting, "There's no place like home, there's no place like home." She tried spinning about and doing a little dance, but it did little good.

"I'm afraid you won't be able to return to Nebraska by that route," Gilda said in a more sober tone. It finally reached Dena that the faery was right.

"Damn," the girl said in defeat, "it seemed like such a good idea." The pink woman smiled a bit and led the girl back to the Sonchils gathering in the plaza.

Dena then went to helping Gilda calm down the little child-like fairies, for many were badly shaken up by the Black Norn's intrusion, and some had even been injured by her temper tantrums. Gilda had to use her magic to repair some of the damage as well. Dena did as best she could to comfort the child-like fairies, though she suspected some of them would be scarred for life by the incident. The little girl Sonchil in yellow would have nightmares for sure.

**~/~/~/~/~**

Gilda offered to let Dena stay the night. The faery had a nice residence up on a hill overlooking the crystal Sonchil town, though it was surprisingly simple for a faery's home, as well as reminding Dena of a Greek temple.

"I don't get it," the newly crowned princess was saying as they had a dinner of fruits and vegetables, "what was the Black Norn talking about… 'Thwarting the laws of magic'?" Gilda was polishing her wand at the time.

"I think there are some things I need to explain to you, Dena, if you're going to survive here."

"And that's another thing I wanta ask before we go on," the brunette added, "how come you were so ditzy when I first met you, and now you're all serious?"

"Oh! That," Gilda couldn't help but wrinkle her perfect nose and giggle like a little girl, "I get like that when I'm really, really happy. I was overjoyed when I realized that you had helped in a great deed to make Eldan a better place."

"And now you're not?" Dena asked. The faery's smile faltered.

"When is anyone happy to know the Black Norn is running rampant? She is the bane of Eldan's existence, and now she's angry. She's planning something, and all of Eldan is in danger."

"Gee, lucky us," Dena said flatly.

Gilda slipped her wand into her sash.

"I'll explain some things right now Dena. All who wield magic in Eldan are considered 'witches.' We just happen to earn alternate titles based on our looks and what we do. Sorceress, Warlock, Faery, Wizard, Enchantress, Witch, it's all the same. Witches aren't usually a problem unless they've turned to evil, and it is as much a choice as deciding what you're going to have for breakfast in the morning.

"There used to be many more of us, back in the day. But then a great magical war took place, and it nearly destroyed all of Eldan. After the war, there were only so many of us, and the few of us still around appointed ourselves guardians of Eldan, or at least, those of us on the good side. The twin Norns chose to stay away to the northern and eastern territories, while the rest of us made agreements to guard other parts of the land.

Witches are supposed to serve the community, and part of that involves keeping order and protecting those who don't have magic to protect themselves from people like the Norns."

"So what caused the war?" Dena asked, leaning back in her chair.

"The Anklets." Gilda replied, taking a sip of nectar.

"You mean these?" the girl asked, sticking a foot out. The rubies on her ankle glittered nicely in the soft light of the candelabras that stood around the room. Gilda shook her head.

"No, not just those, but many more. There used to be almost as many Jeweled Anklets as there were witches, and the primary source of a witch's power comes from his or her Anklets."

At this, Gilda got up and lifted her magenta skirts, revealing a pair of beautiful sapphire strands around her slender ankles.

"Wow, nice," Dena commented.

"Thank you," Gilda said.

"So what can they do, exactly?" the girl asked, "And now that I think about it, what can mine do?"

"I'm actually not allowed to say what the Sapphire Anklets can do," the pink woman told her, "but rest assured, they help a great deal. On the other hand, no one knows what the Ruby Anklets can do, though it's well-known that not only are they the most powerful of all the Anklets, but they were also the first ever made."

"Wow, talk about luck!" Dena exclaimed, sticking both feet out now and looking over her jeweled treasures.

"I wouldn't precisely call it luck, Dena," Gilda told her, "every witch and warlock in Eldan has coveted those anklets, and many have killed or died trying to acquire them. The Black Norn apparently knows something about them, otherwise she wouldn't want them so badly."

"Oh," the girl said, her smile evaporating. She then thought of something.

"Does the Black Norn have Anklets?" she asked.

"Very much so," Gilda replied, "they are what allow her to wield fire-based magic, since it's very difficult for most to do that. Hers are the Black Diamond Anklets."

"But I didn't see her wearing any," Dena said.

"They were under her boots," the faery replied.

With that, she picked up the silver pitcher of nectar and her cup.

"Care to repair to the salon?" she asked.

"Why are we going to have our hair done?" Dena asked. Gilda looked at her strangely.

"Is that a Nebraska joke?" she asked, a smile playing at her lips.

Moments later Dena found out that Gilda was just referring to her version of a living room, though she'd never been in one that had no walls and only pillars, which allowed one a view of the landscape and starry night sky. Once they settled on the couches, Gilda continued.

"At some point, Jeweled Anklets stopped being made, and then there were more witches than anklets, which caused a lot of conflict amongst us. The war broke out because witches found they could take advantage of one of the 'laws of magic' you heard about. One of the most well-known laws states that if someone were to kill a witch—a very difficult thing to do, by the way—his or her anklets would immediately become property of the person responsible. That is how you got the Ruby Anklets from the White Norn, because your house was the cause of her demise. Though that particular law doesn't account for accidents."

"Okay, I get it," Dena was starting to understand.

Little Tahoe came over to the couch and leaped into his owner's lap. She petted him as the two women talked.

"What were you talking about when you told the Black Norn about…being tricked by her sister?" Dena asked, trying to remember the conversation. For the first time, she saw Gilda blush profusely.

"Two hundred years ago, the White Norn was attacking these lands, trying to expand what she claimed would be her 'empire.' I had chosen to protect the Southwestern Land of the Sonchils ages ago, and they were all too grateful to have me. I was the only thing standing between them and the White Norn. However, not only did it become a stalemate, but I knew the White Norn would not leave so long as she felt she could have these lands. So I confronted her and proposed we work something out like gentlewomen. She suggested we play a game of chance, and have a wager. If I won, she was never to return and would stay permanently in the East. If she won, she would have the Land of the Sonchils and _I _would be banished to the far southwestern deserts. I suppose you can guess who won. Though now I feel that she tricked me somehow."

"That must have been very embarrassing," Dena commented quietly. Gilda looked away.

"The Sonchils looked up to me. They are like my children, and I had failed them. They have forgotten my foolishness, since it's not in their nature to hold a grudge, but for two centuries I lived in shame. I would prefer not to speak on this subject again."

"Okay," Dena agreed, nodding. She felt pretty sorry for the faery now.

"Here," she said, bringing Tahoe over to Gilda, "he needs some petting." She placed the pup in the pink woman's lap, and immediately he started sniffing her all over. Gradually the faery's signature smile returned, and she started stroking and petting the little shepherd.

"What a marvelous little animal," she commented.

"Thanks," Dena replied. The girl sat back down on her own couch.

"Listen, Gilda, I can't stay here. I mean, this place is nice and all, but it's not my home. Nebraska did sometimes suck as a place to live, but at least I'm familiar with it. Plus, I need to know Nana's all right."

"Nana?" Gilda asked. Dena quickly explained who Nana was and what had happened before the storm.

"I feel for your troubles, sweetie," Gilda said, "but I don't have the power to send you back to Nebraska. Traveling to other realms is simply outside my talents." Dena grew quite dejected at this.

"However, there is someone who can help you," Gilda encouraged her.

"Who's that?" the girl immediately wanted to know.

"The Mage of Eldan," the faery replied.

"I ask again, who's that?" Dena repeated.

"He is the ruler of all of Eldan," Gilda said in an almost reverent manner, "the most powerful warlock of all. He even contests the Black Norn in his abilities."

"Seriously?" Dena asked with delight.

"Yes, though I have yet to see a conflict between the two. The Black Norn prefers her lands in the North because they are dark and have heavy concentrations of evil magic. The lands in the South do not. And yet I think things have changed, now that she has some sort of plan up her sleeve…."

"Then I'll go find him and have _him _send me home," Dena decided.

"Beware Dena," Gilda warned, "the Mage is not to be trifled with. He's said to frighten even those who live in the capital city of Jaden, his home. He has been known to grant boons to those who do a service for him, but no one has seen or tried having an audience with him in years."

"Oh lovely," Dena rolled her eyes.

"And one other thing," Gilda added, "unless you can fly, the city of Jaden is very far away to the east."

"Nope, can't fly," the girl said, spreading her hands helplessly. "Too bad you couldn't lend me those wings," she joked. Gilda burst out laughing.

"I'm afraid I can't do that either. I was born with these." She got back on subject. "Then it looks like you'll have to go on foot."

The faery then got up, placing Tahoe on the floor.

"Come, I have set aside rooms for you for tonight. The proper preparations for your journey will be made in the morning. For now, we should get some sleep."

* * *

**Well, seems the "Wicked Witch" has gotten a makeover, lol. You can rest assured there's more where she came from. **

**Lovely as the idea is for "There's no place like home" to carry Dena back to Nebraska, getting out of Eldan isn't gonna be that easy, lol. **

**When they were filming the scene where the Wicked Witch of the West was to leave Munchkinland, I read that Margaret Hamilton (the actress) actually got burned by the fire and smoke they were using for her red cloud effect. Her makeup had copper in it, which was what caused the injuries she sustained. **

**The original design of the Wicked Witch was to look beautiful and sexy, though that sort of conflicts with what Glinda says about bad witches being ugly, so the producers had to change what she looked like, hence the green face, hooked nose, and clawed hands. **

**Before anyone starts telling me the witches should be switched, if you read the original novel of "Wizard of Oz," Glinda was actually the good sorceress of the South. So perhaps it's fitting that Gilda live in the Southwest. **


	7. Wildfire

**And so the journey begins for Dena. But what exactly does the Land of Eldan have in store for her? **

* * *

"So, uh, where do we start?" Dena asked the next morning. She and Gilda were standing in the center of the plaza, with all the Sonchils watching eagerly. Dena wondered if she would ever grow comfortable with an audience. She was painfully aware of all the giggling little fairies watching her as she tried focusing on the task at hand.

"The only safe way to get to the Mage is by walking the Golden Path," the faerie told her.

"Is that some kind of metaphor?" Dena asked.

Gilda laughed.

"Of course not, you walk down the road of gold, right there," she pointed with her wand. Dena looked about. She even squinted, but all she saw was glass tile everywhere.

"I don't see it," she told the faery. Gilda looked back at the plaza and seemed to realize something.

"Oh! Silly me, I haven't used this spell in a while," the pink woman slapped herself on the head. She then lifted her skirts with one hand and started a peculiar stomping dance on the glass tiles. The rhythm was mesmerizing, causing all who watched to become riveted. Her steps became lighter after a moment, and music started coming, seemingly from everywhere. Dena and the Sonchils glanced about as gold and violet banners of light started swirling about the buildings, sparkling and streaming about as they went. They flew in around the dancing faery in pink, causing glass tiles to light up in a rainbow of colors.

In a great whoosh of light and magic, a river of pure gold flowed out from underneath Gilda, pouring out past the Sonchil buildings and into the forested countryside beyond. Moments later, the river had settled into a solid path, and Gilda was standing majestically on a sun-shaped motif in the center of the plaza. The Sonchils cheered with delight at the spectacle, and Dena could only stare open-mouthed and say,

"Wow."

Gilda turned to Dena.

"This is the Golden Path you must follow," she gestured, "it will take you directly to Jaden. As long as you stay on this path, you'll be safe from the Black Norn. Deviate, and you will be in danger."

"Okay," Dena shrugged, stepping off the platform. Tahoe followed along, happy as ever at all the excitement going on.

"One more thing before you go," Gilda told the girl, "never _ever _take off those anklets. As long as you wear them, the Black Norn will be unable to use them for her own gain, and she will not be able to touch you."

"What if she tries to kill me?" Dena asked.

"She's already tried that with a real witch," Gilda informed her, "as you see, it didn't work. Since you are not a witch, things will be different for you. Take care, and keep an eye out. It's quite a ways to Jaden. I assure you that you'll find people willing to help along the way. Just trust in yourself."

"Can you come with me?" Dena asked.

"I'm afraid I can't," Gilda shook her head, "I am bound to the land of the Sonchils. If I leave for more than a day, the place would be in trouble. Besides, I've got a lot of things to do now that I'm back. You needn't worry Dena, you will be all right."

Dena bit her lip.

"Um, thanks Gilda, for everything," she said softly, "let me know if you wanta drop in any time. I'll know when to duck." Gilda and the Sonchils all laughed, remembering the faery's explosive entrance into the fountain. Dena couldn't help smiling and giggling a little herself. The faery then wrapped her in a hug.

"Goodbye Princess, and good luck," Gilda told her. With that she once more transformed into a ball of white light and went shooting off into the sky like a comet.

"Gee, talk about going out with a bang," Dena commented.

Taking a deep breath, Dena took her first steps into the great green yonder that was Eldan. Just leaving the village of the Sonchils started giving her an idea of just how big the place really was. The little child-like fairies followed her to the edge of the turquoise forest, singing and playing in the foliage as they went along. They stopped at the tree-line, all of them waving but one.

Dena saw the little girl Sonchil in yellow standing out beyond the trees, a sad look on her small face.

"Hey," Dena said softly, coming over to her. She kneeled down and hugged the little fairy.

"I'll be fine, don't worry about me," she told the Sonchil, "you just get back with your friends."

"Please don't go," the little girl sobbed, hugging Dena tighter.

"Okay, tell you what," the teen smiled, "you can keep this for me, ok?" She took out the tiara from her backpack purse and gave it to the Sonchil.

"Really?" the little girl said with delight.

"Take care of it, ok?" Dena told her.

"I will!" the little sweetie declared. With that she half-scampered, half-flew back into the woods with her friends, hollering goodbye to Dena.

The brunette smiled and waved before joining Tahoe back on the road. The little pup couldn't have been happier going on a long walk. Normally Dena didn't actually need a leash on him unless they were going past Mrs. Wecktola's house, since Tahoe was loyal enough to stay close to his master. It was a relief to know he wouldn't stray too far.

Though after a few hours of walking, Dena was starting to wish she had the old farm truck along. Although she'd already made some distance between herself and the Sonchils' village, she could still see the forest on the horizon behind her. All around her, though, spread the gigantic valley she'd seen up on the cliff. It was so huge, that when one was down in it, you couldn't see either side unless you headed towards the edges. Once in a while, she'd catch a glimpse of the misty, distant mountains to her right or left, but they seemed as real as clouds.

Nearby, however, the landscape was hilly and green, and she could see the gold road streaming off into the distance. It seemed to go on forever. After a while, Dena got thirsty and took a drink from a stream she saw nearby. The water was so clean, not what she expected. She went back to walking down the road, her ruby anklets sparkling off the solid metal. It was like a long, skinny mirror, reflecting the sky in a golden motif. Dena enjoyed seeing the rugged, hilly landscape around her. It reminded her of the land around Lake Tahoe. The girl had to admit, the land of Eldan certainly had its charm. However, that was about to change.

By midday Dena and Tahoe came to a conjunction in the road, which forked off in several directions. The girl grew quite irritated, considering she had been told the Golden Path was supposed to take her straight to Jaden, and here it was doing the contrary.

Tahoe suddenly began to whine and huddle around Dena's ankles. She welcomed the distraction from her indecision. She knelt down to pet the anxious puppy.

"What's wrong Tahoe?" she asked. The girl saw nothing scary or dangerous, though in a place like this, she was wary. If somebody like the Black Norn could show up in a place fit for _My Little Ponies_, anything was possible. That was when she smelled smoke.

Dena turned and saw a dark cloud rising up from a fresh green cornfield several yards down one of the forks. The girl could swear she heard a voice call for help. Following her instincts, Dena followed the smoke until she came to the field. The place was on fire! Some kind of wildfire had engulfed half the field. Shielding her eyes from the ashy air, Dena squinted into the eye-watering haze.

"Help! Help!" someone screamed. The girl jumped in shock at first, and then realized what she had to do.

"Heaven help me," she groaned, taking in the cornstalks taller than her. Coughing, she dove into the field, trying to follow the victim's voice.

"I'm coming!" she yelled as loudly as she could.

"Help!" the voice repeated, "I'm over here!"

The fire was close, Dena could feel its heat. She could barely breathe; there was so much smoke and ash. She suddenly bumped into something. It was a pole, and as Dena looked up, she saw the owner of the voice squirming at the top, desperately trying to get down.

"Oh my God," she murmured, wondering if the person was being hung or crucified. Either way, he was going to die if she didn't get him down now.

Dena quickly tried to calm the guy.

"It's okay, I'm here now!" she shouted up at him, trying to drown out his cries for help. When he wouldn't calm down, Dena grew frustrated.

"Hey you!" she yelled, "Shut up!" Whoever was up there clammed up and looked down as if he were dumbfounded.

"I need your help," Dena told him, shouting to be heard over the roar of the fire, "Do you know how I can get you down?"

There was nothing but the sound of fire licking through the cornstalks for a second. But finally the stranger at the top of the pole said,

"Well…I…uh…"

"I don't have all day!" Dena shouted, glancing behind her. She could already see the flames getting closer. Her heart was now racing with fear.

"Are there any nails back there?" the stranger asked. Dena checked.

"No."

"Um, try cutting that rope," the stranger pointed behind him. Dena instantly went to work. She got out a Swiss army knife she'd packed in her backpack purse ages ago, and started sawing at the coil of rope at the back of the pole. It was somewhat high, forcing her to stand on her toes while cutting.

The fire was only a few feet away now, and Dena could feel its searing heat. The rope was old and stubborn, only giving away a few fibers at a time under Dena's knife. The stranger's renewed screaming wasn't helping either, though now the girl could understand why he was panicking. Just then, the rope snapped and the stranger fell off onto the ground. Dena leaped off the pole and grabbed him by the arm.

"Come on, let's go!" she ordered. They rushed out just as the pole was engulfed by the flames.

Whoever she'd just saved, he was quite clumsy. Every few steps the stranger would stumble, making Dena almost drag him as they ran onto the road. Tahoe had been sensible and stayed away from the burning cornfield. Now he came trotting up, barking wildly at the newcomer Dena was dragging. The girl ignored the shepherd, not stopping until they got back to the conjunction in the road. All was quiet back there, and the girl finally felt safe enough to let go of the stranger and sit down, panting from her escapade. There were spots of soot on her legs, dress, and face. Dena tried quickly to wipe them off, muttering,

"I'm really not dressed for this."

"Thank you for saving me," the stranger said suddenly, "I thought I was a goner."

"No problem," Dena replied, disentangling her backpack purse, "I would have done it for any—" her voice trailed off when she saw her companion for the first time.

It was a man, but not like any she'd seen before. Although he was crouched beside her, he would have been tall standing up. He wore long pants and a tunic, all of it ragged and stained with age. A frayed cowl covered his shoulders and hung down the back like a scarf, and his hat reminded Dena of a tattered version of Gandalf's hat. But what drew her attention was his face. It seemed to be made of burlap, and his large blue eyes almost creeped her out, they were so expressive. Straw stuck out of every seam in his clothes, and several go-overs made Dena realize what she was looking at.

"Oh my God," she breathed, this is _so not _happening." She got up and threw her hands up in the air, "I did _not _just rescue a real-live, talking scarecrow!"

"What's so bad about that?" the scarecrow asked, staggering to his feet.

"Nothing, it's just, you're not supposed to be alive," Dena told him. "Gee, thanks," he said sarcastically.

"But then again," the girl continued in her rant, "why not? This place has already been freaky enough; with Barbie the absent-mind fairy holding eternal tea parties, being bombarded by the munchkin horde, and the bondage queen threatening me with my life."

"Why are you so angry?" the scarecrow asked, "I always thought heroes were happy after saving people's lives."

"I'm not a hero!" Dena burst out, "Everybody keeps saying so, but I'm not! Seriously!" At her sudden outburst, the scarecrow jumped in surprise and fell over, bunches of straw falling out of his clothes as he landed.

Dena sighed and kneeled down, gathering up the straw. She watched as he took some of it and stuffed it back into his clothes.

"Does it hurt when you lose straw like that?" she asked.

"No," the scarecrow replied, "I just have to keep it all together. Can't lose too much or there's no more of me left."

"Here," the girl said, helping him. She couldn't help but notice the straw was unusually warm as she put it back in.

"I'm sorry about all this," she said in a quieter tone, "I've had a really rough couple of days."

"That's okay," the scarecrow said in understanding.

"What's your name?" Dena asked.

"Um…I'm not quite sure…" the straw man said uncertainly, "I think it's Quen." Dena frowned.

"If you're not sure, how do you know your name is Quen? Can't you remember?"

"Nope, haven't got the brains to remember. Come to think of it, I don't have a brain at all. Only straw." With that, he took his hat off to show her.

"You know, I would ask why, but since this is Eldan, I won't." Dena said, backing off from the subject.

"Oh come on, what were you going to ask?" Quen urged her.

"How can you be alive without a brain?" she asked, relieved at getting it out. The scarecrow shrugged.

"Don't know. Just happened one day and I've been going strong ever since. Besides, there's lots of people without brains out there, and they talk a lot." Dena burst out giggling at this.

"I know a few people like that at home," she laughed.

"So what's your name?" Quen asked in return.

"Dena," the girl replied, "and this is Tahoe, my dog." Tahoe immediately came over at the sound of his name and sniffed the scarecrow's knee before going back to his master.

"So why was your field on fire—" Dena began, when the scarecrow suddenly jumped up and started looking around wildly with a very frightened expression on his face. He then found a large rock and dragged Dena behind it. Tahoe followed, whimpering for some strange reason.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Dena hissed.

"Shh!" Quen shushed her. That was when Dena overheard a low rumble that grew to a stomping of many feet. She peeked over the rock to see a huge group of armored…_things_ marching along the Golden Path, their route thankfully heading _away_ from Dena, Quen, and Tahoe, and going in the direction of the farm field.

"Who are those guys?" Dena whispered.

"I don't know," Quen whispered back, "but they're bad. I used to think they were great because they'd shoot down the crows eating my field and roast them for dinner. But now all they do is burn things whenever they're bored. Another group like that one came through earlier and set fire to my field so they'd hear me scream, but their captain said they had to move on."

"Those sicko's," Dena muttered darkly.

She tried to make out details, but all she could see were dozens of black and red armored suits, and one of the soldiers carried a black banner with a flaming red spear on it. The rest of the men carried what looked like long poles with long, curved blades at each end. They made no sound, save for the loud clanking and stomping, and the occasional shout from the drill officers as they made their way past. Already Dena was getting _Lord of the Rings _flashbacks from watching. It was just another reminder of just how real Eldan truly was.

"This is so not happening," she groaned, sliding down behind the rock. She put her hands to her temples and wished she was back in Nebraska, dealing with everyday problems instead of this.

As soon as the army was out of sight, Quen breathed a sigh of relief and petted Tahoe. Dena peeked over the rock before getting up.

"Come on Tahoe, we got a long way to go," the girl sighed. She was about to follow the path that went in the same direction as the main road, when she heard,

"Wait!"

The girl turned to see Quen stumble to his feet and come clumsily over to her.

"Can I come too?" he asked.

"What?" Dena asked in disbelief.

"Please?" he pleaded, "I won't be a problem."

"You don't even know where I'm going," Dena pointed out.

"Wherever it is, it's better than staying here," Quen stated.

"True," the girl agreed, glancing at the towering cloud of smoke in the distance.

"I'm going to some place called Jaden. The Mage of Eldan is going to help me get home to Nebraska."

"Where's that?" Quen asked.

"My home," Dena shrugged, though she still considered Lake Tahoe her true home.

"Hmm…" Quen thought for a moment, "You think the Mage can help me too? Get me a brain?"

"Well, I've been told he's the most powerful warlock in all of Eldan. Maybe giving you a brain will be easy. And if he doesn't, who's to say you were worse off than before?"

"There! You see?" Quen pointed out with delight at Dena's forehead, "That's why I want a brain! I wanta be able to think _just _like that."

"Well, I'm not sure you wanta think _just _like me," Dena said, feeling silly.

"I can't think at all right now," the scarecrow said. Dena took a few steps towards the Golden Path before changing her mind.

"Um, maybe you shouldn't come along," she said, "I just made it to the top of the Black Norn's hit list and she's really pissed. I don't think you're gonna want to get caught in it."

"Who's the Black Norn?" Quen asked.

"A really nasty witch with fashion issues," Dena replied.

"Huh! I ain't afraid of no witch," the scarecrow scoffed, putting on a brave face. Dena couldn't help but laugh.

"I'm serious," Quen told her, "I'm not afraid of nothin'…except…um…fire." He pointed fearfully at the billowing black smoke cloud.

"Gee, I wonder why?" Dena said wryly, though she lent the scarecrow a sympathetic smile.

"Oh all right, you can come!" she gave in, though there was amusement in her dark eyes. If anything, she could use a companion on this long trip.

"Oh thank you!" Quen cried out in delight. Almost immediately he wrapped Dena in a bear hug, giving her the impression of being hugged by a straw-stuffed mattress for a second.

"You won't regret this Dena!" he told the girl.

"I'll probably regret every minute of it," Dena joked as they got going; the two of them heading down the middle road with Tahoe following happily behind them.

* * *

**So it appears Dena has a new friend :) The scarecrow was always one of my favorite characters, though I like all of Dorothy's friends, lol. Each has traits one can find appealing. The scarecrow is especially fun for a number of reasons, including the irony of his apparent lack of gray-matter. I'll elaborate more on this later. **

**I must say, though, the scarecrow in the movie of **_**Wizard of Oz**_** spoke a very honest & true fact. People without brains do an awful lot of talking, rofl! **

**Ray Bolger was the actor who played the scarecrow in the 1939 movie, though he was originally cast as the Tin Man. He wasn't happy with the setup, so he convinced the movie's producer to change his part to the scarecrow. Since Ray was such a good dancer, he originally had a longer dance scene, but they had to shorten it for time in the film. **


	8. A Helping Hand

**Hey guys, I'm back! :D After a long winter holiday I've returned with more delights from the Land of Eldan. What does this magical realm have to show us now? Plenty, lol. Sometimes when you're not looking for adventure is when you're most likely to have it…

* * *

**

Far away, deep in Eldan's northern mountains laid a place that few people dared go near. It was remote, barren land, full of rocks and deep crevasses, cliffs and gullies. Many of the mountains spewed liquid fire, the only real light and warmth that could be seen and felt there. Even at midday, the sky was pitch black and the air held a constant stench of sulfur and molten rock.

This was the land ruled by the Black Norn, and despite its barren state, many, many creatures lived there. All of them bowed in the wake of the Norn's dark majesty, for she would accept nothing less.

Her fortress was under siege, though not by an invading army; for who would be foolish enough to take her on? No, it was the Norn herself. As soon as she'd returned, her anger had been known immediately, and by now every monster and minion in the northern mountains knew of her rage. But it was quite a while before her anger subsided enough so she could speak.

A young man stood in the tallest tower, watching his mistress throw the worst tantrum he'd seen yet. He wore a long, dark coat with a stiff collar that rose up to cover half his face. What could be seen of him was half a pale face with thick, dark eyebrows, and long black hair tied in a braid down his back. His eyes, however, were the most frightening part. They were a pale, glowing chartreuse, and seemed to stab into anyone he looked at, save for the Norn. He was known as Slade, or more to the point, the Black Norn's right-hand man.

The Norn had been standing on a floating platform of basalt broken off from the fortress, wielding fire, volcanic bombs, and great whirls of burning smoke with her every wave of anger. Slade often wondered just how much abuse the fortress could take from his mistress's frequent anger attacks. So far, it had held up only so well.

She was now floating back, her anger still apparent in the halo of fire that glowed around her. Slade said nothing, knowing it was easier to let her speak than to say anything.

"My pathetic dog of a twin finally croaks and what do I get? _Nothing!_" the Norn roared as she stalked into her tower rooms from the balcony. Her staff thumped loudly and left behind burn marks in the carpet, which in turn vanished within moments. A number of small, winged, gremlin-like creatures usually hung around the room, though during moments like this, they would vanish into corners whenever the Norn came their way. She ignored them for the most part, treating them like unofficial pets when it suited her. She call them Picks.

"That stupid _chit _comes in and ruins everything!" the witch continued, smashing some scrolls and books off a table. A few of the Picks squealed and fled from under the table. Slade followed silently at a safe distance, wary of any outbursts from the Norn's staff. He hid his unease well, though even after spending many years with his mistress, he still would wonder just what would provoke her ire when she didn't reveal herself immediately. The man remained cautious.

"Sorceress, do tell what has happened," Slade spoke for the first time, his voice a surprisingly low baritone. The Norn turned, noticing her right-hand man for the first time.

"Instead of the Ruby Anklets coming to me as planned, they went to _her_," she snarled, pointing at a large crystal ball, which flared to life & revealed Dena walking along the Golden Path with Tahoe.

"A stupid _child_ with no magic steals _my_ Anklets, and even worse, that powder-puff _Gilda_ comes back and defends her! I should have told my twin to kill that faery when she had the chance, the fool!"

Slade crouched down and gazed in wonder at the lovely young lady in the glass sphere, his eyes missing nothing as they scanned her.

"She seems hardly a child, mistress—"

"—_Do not _contradict me Slade!" the Norn snapped, "I won't have it. And if there's one thing I hate more than children, it's teenagers. At least children don't fight back when you kill them. Teenagers do, and they're even more persistent than adults. It will make that brat even harder to kill than once thought."

"What are your plans, Sorceress?" Slade asked, gazing reverently at the Norn. Although the girl in the globe was lovely to behold, her goodness was starting to make him slightly ill. The Norn was lovely in his eyes because she was the essence of perfect evil. Although she'd enslaved everyone in the north, she had always shown special favor for those who followed her willingly, though like any good leader, she trusted no one.

"The brat must not learn the secret to those anklets," she warned Slade, "If she does we're all doomed. If the Mage knows, we are also doomed, for he could blab it to her. We must stop her from getting to the capital."

The Norn had learned long ago never to reveal all her feelings about having plans thwarted, though new ones were already forming. A cruel smile had begun to play at her blood-red lips, her gaze migrating to a lovely wooden sculpture on one of her worktables.

"And I have the perfect idea in mind…"

**~/~/~/~/~**

"Who's that?" Quen asked, peering over Dena's shoulder.

Night had fallen and the pair had stopped to rest. The scarecrow had freaked when Dena built a campfire, appalled that she had been carrying a lighter in her backpack purse and hadn't said a word to him about it. Now he was sitting as far from the campfire as possible without actually being out of its light. Dena sat in the soft, feathery grass, grateful to be off her feet. She undid her heeled sandals and looked them over, knowing from the sweat, dirt, and ash stains that they were ruined. All they were good for now was travel. It made her wish Gilda had given her running shoes or hiking boots before leaving.

The girl leaned against a tree, relaxing in the firelight and wondering at all that had happened. Tahoe settled down next to her, making Dena smile and stroke his soft fur. Quen had taken to him almost immediately, befriending the pup with gusto. Thinking about all that had happened in the last two days made Dena go digging into her purse, searching for the most precious item she carried; a photo of her and her parents on their last vacation. It showed them in a sailboat on Lake Tahoe, smiling and looking goofy for the camera. The girl had been gazing at the photo just before Quen had appeared. Evidently she didn't scare him nearly so much as the campfire did.

"It's my mom and dad," she answered, glancing at the scarecrow for a second.

"They look happy," Quen observed, picking up Tahoe and petting him.

"They're dead," Dena said quietly. She swallowed, feeling a small lump forming in her throat.

"Sorry to hear that," Quen responded, "How did they die?" Dena paused for a moment before answering.

"It was a car accident. They were driving in a snowstorm when an avalanche got them out on the road. It was three days before their bodies could be dug out of the snow." She quickly put the photo back in her purse. "They're gone now. All I have is Nana, and now I'm billions of miles away from her."

"Who's Nana?" Quen asked. Dena wasn't really in a talking mood, though something about Quen made her want to do it anyway. With a sigh, she explained her great-aunt to the scarecrow, as well as how she got to Eldan. Quen listened intently, though he didn't quite understand everything the girl told him. He was, after all, lacking in brains.

"So that's why you're going to Jaden, so you can go home," the scarecrow finally figured out.

"Yeah," Dena said flatly.

"What's Nebraska like?" he asked. Dena sighed and lay down in the soft grass, her back the scarecrow.

"It's flat and boring, what more is there to tell?" she muttered as Tahoe jumped out of Quen's lap and came over to snuggle. The girl was grateful for the pup's sweet nature, for although they weren't in her room, his behavior hadn't changed one bit. She held the brown and black furball close.

The scarecrow felt bad for Dena. Although he lacked parents himself, he remembered the farmer that created him once had children. He could tell the girl missed her parents terribly. Maybe that was why she was in a low mood.

Quen came over and said quietly,

"I'm sorry about your parents. I'll do what I can to get you back to your Nana, no matter what." He awkwardly put a hand on her shoulder before backing off. It was then he realized the girl had drifted off to sleep, Tahoe lying quietly beside her. Quen sighed, wondering if she'd heard him before fading out. He kept close to the girl, keeping an eye on both her and the fire, its light causing the nearby Golden Path to shimmer in a fading orange glow.

**~/~/~/~/~**

The next morning Dena woke up famished. She hadn't eaten a thing since yesterday and now her hunger was catching up with her. The poor girl also ached all over from lying on the hard ground. Quen was delighted to see her awake, and the girl immediately learned that he didn't sleep. After all, he didn't get tired.

"How on earth did you keep from going nuts up on that pole?" Dena asked as she strapped her sandals on. Quen shrugged.

"Don't know."

The fire had died out, so Dena felt safe not leaving a fire hazard behind her.

"Come on, we need to find some food," the girl said, walking back onto the Golden Path. Her Ruby Anklets shimmered in the morning sun, which was just now rising over the mountain ridge to the southeast. Quen stumbled to his feet and followed the girl, eager to continue the adventure.

There were more trees with pale tan bark and turquoise leaves around as they traveled down the solid gold road, and the area rapidly became loosely forested. Visions of omelets and donuts soon dominated Dena's mind, making it difficult to stay on task as she, Quen, and Tahoe traveled. It made her wonder just how exactly they were going to find anything edible. She had yet to see any fruits or vegetables growing in the wild, and somehow she had a feeling there wasn't another Sonchil town for miles.

"What's that noise?" Quen asked an hour later. Dena blushed in embarrassment.

"That's my stomach growling," she told him, "I need breakfast. Tahoe's probably not much better off." Almost on cue, the little puppy was whining and pawing at Dena's legs, the sad look in his dark eyes difficult to ignore.

"Sorry honey," she told the pup, petting him, "I didn't plan on getting sucked up by a twister before packing, so we're sunk."

"That must be very annoying, having to eat all the time," Quen said. It became evident to Dena that the scarecrow didn't eat either.

"Not really," she replied, walking again, "normally eating is pleasurable; always something different to try. It just becomes a problem when there isn't any food around."

"Will you be okay without it?" Quen asked, raising an eyebrow as her stomach growled again.

"Yeah, I'll be fine," the girl lied.

**~/~/~/~/~**

Little did the trio know, they weren't the only ones in the woods at this moment. The Black Norn had materialized in the shadows of the largest trees, watching as Dena and her friends walked in the distance. Hearing of the girl's hunger was now playing right into the Norn's hands. Her blood-red lips curled into a nasty grin, and she drew out a wicked-looking dagger from her belt. However, this dagger was strange, for it was blunt, save for the tip, and the blade was red. Instead of using it as a weapon, the Norn stabbed it into the ground, red light spreading out from the dagger into the soil and fading into the roots of the nearest trees.

**~/~/~/~/~**

Quen drove Dena nearly insane with all the questions about food and eating, since it wasn't helping her growing hunger at all. She finally told him to either shut up or change the subject. However, before he could speak, Dena stopped and gasped in amazement.

"Quen look!" she pointed, "Apples! Oh thank you _God!_" Among the various trees stood an enormous one with a trunk as big around as a house, its magnificent crown of branches heavily laden with turquoise leaves and big, juicy red apples. Dena could barely contain herself. She'd never seen apples that big in her life. They weren't usually her favorite fruit, but then again, at this moment they were a gift from heaven.

The girl rushed over, ready to grab the nearest apple when she heard Tahoe suddenly whine and bark angrily.

"What's with you?" she asked the pup, for he stood quite a distance from the tree, his fur standing on end and his little body close to the ground. Quen also seemed wary.

"He's acting strange," the scarecrow commented.

"Whatever," Dena shrugged off, "he won't be once he gets his teeth into one of these." With that, she grabbed the softball-sized apple.

Almost immediately, a whip-like branch suddenly flew out and seized the girl by the waist, carrying her high up into the air. Dena screamed as the tree tossed her about, the leafy behemoth coming to life with malignant ire.

"Help!" the girl shrieked. Tahoe fled into the bushes, and Quen had to duck to avoid the tree grabbing him as well. Seemingly annoyed at his escape, the tree attacked the scarecrow, attempting to stab him with a sharp branch while tossing Dena about up above. Quen put up his fists, attempting to look brave, though he had no idea what to do. He'd never dealt with a tree like this before, and it was proving a challenge for him.

Dena attempted to wriggle her way out of a branch, but its grip proved too strong for her.

"Quen!" she yelled angrily, "Do something!" All Quen could do at the moment was jump as a branch tried to swipe him off his feet, and roll out of the way when a larger branch came smashing down on the ground like a great fist.

"Look out!" she cried as another branch whipped out at Quen.

"You poser!" Dena yelled at the tree, grabbing a smaller branch that had come near, "Potter's already got a Whomping Willow—" The branch ripped out of her grasp and smacked her in the face. She ended up having to squirm out of the way as sharp branches attempted to impale her as well.

Down below, it was getting crazy as more branches attacked Quen, irritated that he had eluded them this far. One branch laden with apples flew out at him, cracking like a bullwhip only inches from his burlap face, the apples flying over his head. It was then Quen got an idea.

He ran off to the side, out of reach of the tree's branches.

"Hey you, Stupid. Bet you can't get me with those apples. You're just a stupid tree with big ugly roots!" At this the giant tree immediately started pelting him with apples, knocking Quen over.

"Quen!" Dena yelled, "What the heck do you think you're doing?" Pretty soon the tree was empty of apples in its lower branches and moved up to the higher ones. The rain of apples had gotten lighter, giving Quen a chance to stagger to his feet.

"Hah-_hah!_ Can't get me now!" he goaded, making faces at the tree and doing some obscene gestures that made Dena stare in disbelief between tosses among the branches. At this the tree began to tremble in anger and throw the apples harder, but Quen only leaped out of the way at each one.

"Bet you can't get me with that girl, you dumb son of a—"

Quen was almost immediately interrupted by the tree hurling a screaming Dena squarely at him. She slammed right into the scarecrow and kept on rolling, the ground painful beneath her. The girl ended up rolling right over the edge of a cliff, just barely grabbing hold in time.

"Quen!" she screamed, hanging on for dear life, "Help!" Her already high heart rate skyrocketed at this new peril. The scarecrow rushed over, his eyes widening in horror.

The cliff had been hidden by the thick foliage, part of which had been torn away in Dena's fall; though now as Quen took it in, he could see it was deep enough to leave the bottom hidden in shadows. He immediately grabbed Dena's hands and tried pulling her up, but he didn't have the strength. Almost instantly he buckled, falling to his knees and gripping futilely to her wrists.

"Hurry Quen, my hands are slipping!" Dena cried, clinging tightly to his gloved hands.

"I'm trying," the scarecrow grunted, pulling as hard as he could, but he couldn't lift her. Even worse, Dena's hands had started to slip. One got loose and she screamed, the sound echoing down into the crevasse.

"Don't let me go Quen!" she pleaded, trying to get a grip with her free hand, though she swung dangerously.

"I won't," he said in a strained voice, both hands now gripping Dena's one hand. Both of them heard a ripping sound, and Quen looked down to see one of his arms was tearing open.

"Oh no," he groaned, trying to pull the girl up faster.

"Come on Quen, you can do it," Dena tried encouraging him through her distress. Her free hand was slipping along the rock wall, trying to get a hold of something, anything, when something metallic suddenly clamped around it.

Dena gasped and looked up, shocked at what now held her. Quen looked over in disbelief and said,

"Hey, where did you come from?" The girl was lifted up easily over the cliff edge and placed neatly on her feet. She and Quen gaped at the newcomer.

It was a robot, but not like any Dena had ever seen before. He was tall like Quen, though covered in smooth, shell-like metal. His head was shaped vaguely like a video camera, with a single, intelligent-looking eye. His upper torso was made of metal, though his waist was little more than a short beam of green light. His legs and upper arms were thin and pipe-like, and his lower arms were teardrop-shaped. His hands looked like jointed, human hands, and it seemed those were the only human thing about him.

"Um, thank you," Dena said awkwardly, gazing at the metal creature before her. She had never seen a robot up close before, and it was totally unexpected to see one here and now.

"You're welcome," the robot replied in a metallic-sounding voice.

Suddenly a great rumbling noise erupted behind the robot, causing everyone to glance over and witness a new horror. The tree seemed to have gone berserk, and it was now ripping itself out of the earth, standing up on its great roots.

"Great hoobersnorts!" the robot muttered incredulously.

"_Run!"_ Dena screamed, and all three of them did so as the wooded nightmare came lumbering after them.

They ran until they reached the Golden Path, though the robot lingered behind.

"Come on!" Dena urged. The robot ignored her; walking purposefully back towards the bark-covered beast that now was smashing through the forest towards them.

"What's he doing?" Quen asked. Dena had no answer for him, her dark eyes wide in fright.

The monstrous tree was now only a few hundred yards away and fast approaching. The robot then punched hidden keys in its right forearm and lifted it up towards the tree. Seconds later, a thick green beam of light came out, slicing the thick trunk in half so fast it didn't even have time to set on fire. The tree didn't seem to realize what had hit it until the top half suddenly came off and the whole thing fell over with a huge crash, the branches and roots finally silent.

Dena and Quen stared open-mouthed at the sight, astonished at the robot's feat. He then turned to them and saluted.

"The name's Syrvic, pleased to meet you."

* * *

**Ah so! We meet the Tin Man! Woohoo! It was inevitable the "Tin Man" for our story would be a robot. After all, didn't the original make anyone think of robots? Besides, robots are cool, lol. There will be more of him in the following chapter, I promise :) Oh, and in case everyone is wondering, no, that is not a Whomping Willow they were dealing with, it was just a cursed, killer tree. They don't even look the same. But in our 21****st**** century culture, you couldn't swing a dead cat without hitting some sort of Harry Potter reference, lol. Who knows, we might hear more of that in later chapters, rofl :D **

**To remain consistent with my other chapters—when casting was first set up, Ray Bolger had been cast as the Tin Man, and an actor named Buddy Ebsen was assigned as the scarecrow. As I said in the last chapter, Ray Bolger convinced the producer to let him switch places with Buddy Ebsen, and he didn't mind the switch. However, the makeup they used for the Tin Man costume had poisonous aluminum powder in it, and Buddy accidentally breathed it in, causing him to be rushed to the hospital. He survived the incident, but the role had to be assigned to someone else. **

**Enter Jack Haley, and this time the makeup was changed to safer aluminum paste. His portrayal of the Tin Man is the most well-known in film history. **

**However, I didn't mind how the Tin Man was portrayed in the "Tin Man" miniseries. In that he was a tough, hardened lawman, not at all made of tin or carrying an ax. More of an old West sheriff than anything else. **


	9. A Robot's Story

**It's been a little over a week, so I felt an update was in order. After all, we couldn't just leave our heroine and her friends hanging in the woods. Though it appears that their troubles are far from over…**

* * *

"Wow! That was awesome!" Dena said in shock and amazement.

"Thank you," Syrvic replied.

"Thanks for helping us," the girl told him, "I'm not sure what we would have done if that tree had kept on going." The robot took on a very shy, modest look.

"It was nothing. I'm always ready to help people."

_He reminds me of somebody, _Dena thought, _wish I could remember who_. She then turned to Quen. It was a moment before she spoke.

"Thank you, Quen, for fighting the tree for me. That was very brave of you."

Now Quen was the one to get sheepish.

"I mean it," Dena told him, "that was pretty clever of you to trick the tree into letting me go, even though I almost died two seconds later." At this Quen couldn't help himself.

"Aw, come here you," he said, grabbing her up in a hug. Once again, she felt like she was being wrapped in a straw mattress, though this time it wasn't so awkward. Dena even liked it a little bit now. As they pulled apart, Quen noticed the welt on Dena's cheek.

"You're hurt!" he said with concern.

"Where?" Dena asked, though she was actually covered in cuts and bruises from the tree.

"Here," Quen said, touching the scratch on her cheek. It was bleeding slightly, though Dena was only now noticing how much it stung.

"It's nothing," she said dismissively, though she didn't push the scarecrow away when he used the free end of his cowl to dab at her face. She looked up into his worried eyes and had to look away. It seemed almost embarrassing how he was fussing over her. She blushed under the welt and quickly turned to Syrvic, who had come over to see what was wrong.

"I'm Dena. Dena Patsatzis." She introduced herself to the robot. Both Quen and Syrvic looked at her funny until the girl giggled and said,

"Just call me Dena." The girl's stomach growled and she remembered she'd been hungry before this whole incident.

"If you'll excuse me," she told the others. Both the robot and the scarecrow watched as the girl ran over and grabbed some apples that had fallen off the upper half of the now dead tree. She managed to squeeze one into her backpack purse and brought two more back with her. Tahoe had come out of the bushes by now to rejoin the group, and nearly jumped out of his skin with excitement when Dena put a giant apple on the ground for him before biting into the other. It tasted heavenly to her after going so long without eating.

Quen merely stared, still curious about Dena's talk about eating. Syrvic didn't say much either, now feeling awkward because he wasn't sure what to do, now that he'd done his deed.

The silence was shattered by the sound of a thunderbolt, and the entire group jumped in fright when the Black Norn appeared out of a flash of red light on her hideous, monster steed.

"How _dare _you destroy my tree!" the witch yelled, pointing an accusing finger at Syrvic. By now Tahoe was used to dark woman and immediately growled and barked his distaste at her. The Norn's mount growled menacingly at the German shepherd. Dena, having dropped her over-sized apple at the Norn's approach, scooped up the puppy and tried holding his little mouth shut, though she was now getting annoyed instead of terrified. She glared at the pale, cruel face of the Norn. However, the girl kept silent, after remembering what happened at the village of the Sonchils.

The Norn took in the sight of the robot and the scarecrow, the two of them now flanking Dena in a protective manner.

"So, it appears you've picked up a couple of friends, brat," she sneered. She turned her attention to Syrvic and Quen.

"If you two knew what was good for you, you'd get away from her now, while the going's still good. Otherwise, I'll stoke my furnaces with _you_—" Quen shivered at this, "—and I'll have _you_ melted down in those same furnaces to make armor for my men." Syrvic looked very uncomfortable at this, but the two of them remained at Dena's side.

"Stupid fools," the Norn spat, "I'll teach you to listen to me. Hey scarecrow, wanta meet my new pets?" At this she pointed her staff, causing a blast of fire to shoot out onto the ground in front of her. There was an explosion of baying and howling, and a pack of fiery wolfhounds materialized from the flames. There was murder in their burning eyes, and each one scorched the ground it stood on.

"Run!" Quen screamed, leading the group onto the Golden Path as the fire-dogs came after them. They could all hear the Black Norn cackling with malignant glee as she watched the chase.

However, the Norn could not watch the cruel entertainment she'd created, for she could feel her communication crystal buzzing. She whipped it out and glared into it.

"What is it, Slade?" she demanded, angry at the distraction.

"A new development has occurred that requires your presence, sorceress." The Norn would have sent some sort of curse Slade's way, had it not been for what he showed her. Her mouth twisted into a nasty smile.

"Very good, Slade," she then said, and quickly spurred her mount into action. The two of them vanished into another glowing red portal.

**~/~/~/~/~**

Meanwhile, Dena, Quen, and Syrvic ran like the end of the world was behind them. Quen was running the fastest, though Syrvic contested him for speed. The robot may have been somewhat heavy, but he could outrun a fast-moving train if he had to. Neither one's speed was helping Dena, for she was having difficulty running from the fire-dogs in high heels and holding a pup in her arms.

Syrvic swiveled his head backwards when he noticed Dena was not with them. He saw she was lagging behind, and the fire-dogs were gaining quickly on the girl. He rushed back, and before the teen could object, he grabbed her hand and threw her on his back. She landed with a thud and an "Ow!" stunned by the robot's continued heroism.

"Hang on!" he yelled before running back to rejoin Quen. The group made some distance in their flight.

However, their marathon against the fire-hounds was cut short when the group rediscovered the crevasse that Dena nearly fell into. Evidently it cut through much of the land, and the Golden Path ended abruptly at the edge and continued on the other side.

"And Gilda said this was safe," Dena scoffed, more to herself than the others. She quickly got down off Syrvic's back.

"How are we gonna get across?" she asked, her fear and pulse rising at the sound of the approaching fire-dogs. Quen was shuddering uncontrollably from the thought of being burned. Syrvic thought for a moment, looking around at the trees growing along the crevasse. He then got another idea.

The robot found a sturdy tree next to the Golden Path and quickly calculated its height before turning on the laser again. Unfortunately, it started sputtering and flickering halfway through cutting the trunk.

"Dunderhounds!" Syrvic cursed.

"What's wrong?" Dena asked, now realizing what the robot was up to. She and Quen came over.

"My beam is running low on power. Looks like we're gonna have to do this the old-fashioned way," Syrvic informed her. He stretched his metallic fingers and loosened up his shoulders and arms; though Dena had a feeling he did that more out of habit than actually helping himself as a robot.

Syrvic then went up and started pushing on the trunk. He dug his metal feet into the ground and pushed with all his might, and a great rumbling grew under all their feet. The howling and baying grew, and now Dena could see a fire growing among the trees behind them. The fire-dogs were getting close, and panic was rising in both her and Quen.

"Hurry!" they both urged Syrvic on.

They stared in amazement as the robot managed to get the tree to crack and splinter along the base of its trunk before toppling over. With a great sweep, the great wooded stalk tipped over, its top crashing loudly on the other side of the crevasse. Syrvic had made a bridge!

"Come on!" the robot yelled, climbing onto the trunk of the now fallen tree. Dena kept an especially tight hold on Tahoe as Syrvic helped her up. Quen quickly joined them, and the threesome ran along the trunk. They all tried very hard not to look down, or back as the fire-dogs came snarling and barking up to the edge of the crevasse. Dena hoped they weren't very smart. She was wrong.

The dogs immediately got onto the tree, setting it on fire as they ran along and making the trunk shake dangerously. Dena almost lost her balance, had it not been for Quen grabbing her hand and pulling her ahead. She was relieved when they got to the other side, jumping off the tree and letting Tahoe leap out of her arms. He rushed over to the edge and started barking defensively at the menacing fire-hounds.

"We gotta stop them!" she cried out.

"No problem," Syrvic said, pushing on the tree. It wouldn't budge.

"Oh no," Quen said. Dena rushed over, nearly tripping over her own two feet as she joined the robot.

"We can't let them get across. Push, dammit! Push!"

"I'm trying!" Syrvic yelled back, "The branches are stuck in the dirt!" The hounds were getting closer, and now they were stalking along the tree trunk, baring their burning teeth at the group. Dena felt frightened at the sight of them, though she also grew angry.

"Damned dogs! I wish you would just drown!" she snapped at them.

Almost instantly, another rumbling, cracking noise began. Dena and her friends stared in amazement as the tree suddenly broke in half. She and Syrvic backed away as their end and its branches slid away into the chasm, as did the other half with the fire-dogs on both sides. They squealed and howled all the way down. As the threesome came to the edge to watch, they saw a distant, dark river with the dogs falling into it, though it was very hard to see. The moment the fire-hounds hit water, their distressed cries ceased.

Dena, Quen, and Syrvic were speechless. Tahoe merely wagged his tail and grinned, now that the danger had passed.

"What on earth just happened?" Dena was the first to ask. The others looked at her.

"That tree was structurally sound, I saw!" Syrvic said, "I scanned it myself. There's no way it could have broken so easily. We would have all died!"

"Maybe the fire-dogs burned it through?" Quen suggested, "I mean, look." They all glanced over to see a growing forest fire on the other side of the crevasse.

"That could have done it," Dena agreed.

"I don't know…" Syrvic said uncertainly.

"Can we get out of here please?" Quen pleaded fearfully, "The fire might spread."

"Come on, let's go," the girl approved, "the sooner we move, the better." With that they got walking at a brisk pace, trying to put as much distance between them and the chasm as possible.

It was an hour before all the excitement calmed down with the quiet of the woods returning. No one spoke until Syrvic suddenly sensed something.

"Stop!" he cried out, grabbing both Dena and Quen by the shoulders.

"What?" both of them asked, startled by his abrupt behavior.

"We gotta hide, quick!" the robot hissed, dragging them both behind a clump of wide trees and bushes. Tahoe trotted over, curious at what was going on. Dena snatched him up.

"What's going on?" she whispered to Syrvic. All he said was,

"Get down!" He forced both Dena and Quen to crouch down in the brush, and that was when they all heard the stomping. Dena held Tahoe close, praying he wouldn't bark or try to squirm out of her arms. Thankfully the pup sensed her tension and remained quiet.

The stomping of armored feet grew louder. Dena's pulse rose as she dared peek through a crack between the trees. Quen was equally curious, peeking over the girl's head to see as well. Once again, Dena saw a long column of armored men marching along, though this time they were following another road that ran perpendicular to the Golden Path. The unit commander ordered a halt when they reached the solid gold road, causing Dena and her friends to duck back down into the bushes and hold their breath. They were only ten yards away from the soldiers, and Dena had a feeling she did _not _want to tangle with them.

Syrvic, on the other hand, could see everything that was going on, for he could see through things. His vision had changed to make the trees and bushes they were hiding behind appear transparent, and he could see the commander having a hushed conversation with his lieutenant. From what his enhanced hearing could pick up, they were perplexed as to where the solid gold path had come from and planned on reporting it to the commander-in-chief at headquarters. The robot pantomimed breathing a sigh of relief when he saw the column move again.

"Are they gone—"

"—Stay down!" Syrvic whispered urgently to Dena, "They're only just leaving. Don't make a sound!" It was several minutes before the last of the column passed through, the armored soldiers retreating into another part of the forest. Dena peeked through the crack in the trees again and let out her own relieved sigh.

"What are those things?" she asked, directing her question at Syrvic.

"Wiks," the robot answered, "soldiers in the Black Norn's army. I used to think they were just a rumor until recently." Syrvic shook his head sadly.

"People used to tell legends about the Black Norn, saying she had been in Eldan forever, causing dozens of calamities to bring about pain and suffering. Before today, I never thought I would see what she looked like. What in the Mage's name did you do to make her so angry?"

"It's a long story," Dena replied, getting up. She left Tahoe on the ground and kept on walking towards the golden road. Quen was already at her side, but Dena realized Syrvic was not. She turned to see him standing awkwardly next to the clump of trees.

"Are you coming or not?" she asked.

"Well…" the robot's voice trailed off.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Um…I usually just help people out and leave, let them go on about their business," Syrvic said.

"Are you telling me you're some kind of vigilante?" Dena asked.

"I suppose so," Syrvic replied, "people don't usually want to be associated with a robot, much less one like me. They say thanks and let me leave." Dena and Quen exchanged glances before the girl stepped forward, unsure of what she was about to say.

"Syrvic, you have been more than heroic in all of this. Quen and I are very grateful you came along to help. We could use someone like you on our travels."

"Really?" the robot perked up.

"Yeah," Dena smiled, "you saved our lives, _four times!_ How could we possibly leave you out of all this? Come along with us, please?" Syrvic studied her with his single, dark green eye before slowly nodding his silvery head. Dena whooped with joy, grabbing his hand and dragging him over to Quen. She grabbed the scarecrow's hand as well and all three quickly walked on through the woods.

**~/~/~/~/~**

"So Syrvic, what's your story?" Dena asked as they settled down for the evening. The robot had obligingly used the last of his laser power to start a campfire for them before Dena got out her apple and devoured part of it. Tahoe got his own share, which he happily chomped down on. Now that Dena was done, she thought it would be a good time for stories. Syrvic, however, was taken aback by her request.

"You sure you wanta hear this?" he asked dubiously.

"Sure, why not?" Dena said, "Quen and I could use a good story."

"This isn't a very happy story, Dena," Syrvic told her, "it's very sad, actually." The girl was not to be deterred.

"Syrvic, I'm curious as to how a robot suddenly appears out of nowhere and is there to help Quen and me. I think we could use an explanation. Please?"

After staring at her for what felt like a long time, Syrvic let out a sigh and said,

"Okay. Pull up a tree stump and make yourselves comfortable." The robot sat down on a tree stump that so happened to be by their campfire. Dena scooted over with her back to a tree trunk, with Quen sitting down beside her and holding Tahoe. The little shepherd was quiet, happy to be among friends. Dena petted him occasionally as she and the scarecrow listened to the robot's tale….

"…_I used to be human. I lived as a lumberjack in Skerna Forest. Cutting down trees was my trade, and I was happy with it. But then the Black Norn's magic infected the woods, cursing the trees and making many of them sick. Soon the bark became inferior for use on the market, since the disease made the trees that _didn't _attack us weak from the inside out. The lumber mill I worked for went out of business, and I forced to wander, seeking out any other mills that might need cutters. But all I found were towns and the occasional orchard. I didn't know what else to do. Lumberjacking had been my life, my profession, and I had no one to work for, no one who needed me. _

_I was then attacked by Wiks when I had the bad luck of crossing their path one day during one of their marches through the woods. I barely remember anything beyond the pain of their armored fists and feet raining down on my body, and soon I slipped into darkness. Surely I had died and my spirit had gone on to the next life. _

_But then, I woke up, my sight strange, and my balance awful. It was several hours before I realized I was alive, but not in a way anyone would expect. A man with wild hair in a gray robe told me he had seen me hurt by the Wiks and dragged me into his home soon after they left. It turned out he was a scientist, and had been experimenting on robots. I barely knew what robots were at the time, much less what the man was talking about. He used a lot of language I didn't understand. I actually thought he was speaking Old Eldish for a time. _

_He then made me realize that I was not in my body anymore. He…_downloaded_…my mind into the body of a robot, because my own body was damaged beyond repair, and he had been wanting to test what would happen if a human mind was in a robot. He said I was the perfect subject, though I was shocked and horrified at what the man had done. The scientist attempted to justify that he had saved my life, but somehow, I feel he had been selfish all the same. For a moment, I thought my soul had been banished to the Netherworld, but I eventually grew used to my new status as a…robot…a tin can with no shred of humanity left in me, save for my soul, and not even a heart to show for it. _

_At the mention of a heart, the scientist realized he'd forgotten the last component of my new body: a special heart just for robots. He was about to put it inside me when we both heard a crash in the entry hall. The scientist told me to run, though I ended up smashing through the nearest window. I was not used to my new strength or inability to feel pain. But I didn't run. I stayed out of sight and watched as Wiks tore into the man's house, their commander telling him he was under arrest. I think he once worked for the Black Norn, but had fled from her tyranny, unwilling to do his work under her heel. I'm afraid I don't know what happened to the man, for I had to flee when I saw the Wiks laying torches to everything. The house burned to the ground behind me as I fled. _

_Not having to eat or sleep gave me too much time to think. I learned that I needed sunlight, like some kind of plant, and I could do strange and wonderful things. But who would want to associate with a robot? Most people ran in fear of me, or treated me oddly. Few realized what I truly was, a man who was lost and longed for a place to call home, for people to call me friends, but longed the most for what I now lack…a heart…"_

Dena almost felt like crying after Syrvic finished. She had never heard of such pain and loss from anyone she had ever met, and it was clear that the robot had suffered much in his life. Even worse, the pain was still there, and she could even see it in his single eye.

"For the past five years, I have wandered these woods, helping people wherever I can," Syrvic told his audience, "and when I heard calls for help, I ran and found you two ready to fall into the Great Crack. That is how I came to help." From the sound of his voice, Dena was certain he would have cried if he'd had tear ducts. But all the robot could do was express his sadness through the words he spoke.

The girl got up and came over to Syrvic. She wrapped her arms around his hard, metallic body. This surprised the robot, considering no one had hugged him in many years, but he welcomed the gesture.

"I'm sorry, Syrvic," Dena said sadly, "I didn't realize what you must have been through. I wish there was something we could……that's it!"

"What?" both her friends jumped in surprise.

Dena kept her focus on Syrvic.

"Quen and I are going to Jaden to meet the Mage of Eldan."

"Are you serious?" the robot asked in astonishment.

"Yeah, why?" Dena said, frowning.

"I've always wanted to go to Jaden!" Syrvic said with newfound delight, "I just could never find my way out of the woods." Dena exchanged an odd look with Quen.

"Oh—kay," she continued, "I was just saying, we could ask the Mage to get you a heart while we're there."

"The Mage," Syrvic repeated, totally floored by the word in itself.

"What?" Dena asked.

"It's just," the robot answered, "I always thought trying to get to the Mage was about as easy as getting to heaven. You're the first person I've met who is deliberately going to see him."

"I had to start a trend sometime," Dena joked.

"But what if he doesn't give me one?" Syrvic asked.

"He'll have _me_ to answer to," Dena said darkly.

"And me!" Quen chimed in. As if on cue, Tahoe let out two righteous barks, making the entire group laugh…

* * *

**This chapter was a little longer than I expected, but some things had to be put in. I actually drew on an incident that took place in the book for this. In the original ****Wizard of Oz**** novel, Dorothy and her friends were being chased by these tiger/bear-like monsters called Kalidahs, and they nearly fell into a ravine. The Tin Man built them a proper bridge in record time to get across, though that sounds a little impossible to me, so Syrvic's way of making a bridge seemed more realistic, even for a re-imagined fairy-tale. **

**The Tin Man's backstory was actually considered somewhat graphic for a children's book, though when you're a kid, the dialogue used kind of goes over your head. It's the adults who really think over the part about the Tin Man's arms and legs getting chopped off, one by one, and being replaced with tin body parts. Either way, you gotta feel for the Tin Man in his quest for regaining a part of his humanity that he wanted most: a heart. **


	10. The Green Warlock

**I apologize for being away for so long. A lot has come up in the past month, including Valentine's Day, so things have been very busy for me. The chapter I wrote got too long, so I thought I owed you guys a double feature. (This is Part 1). Time for more adventures for Dena in Eldan :) **

* * *

"You okay?" Quen asked.

"No," Dena sighed, sitting up. She had been trying to sleep for nearly an hour and simply couldn't on the hard ground. The fire had gotten lower, so Dena added a few sticks to stir it up. She then scooted over to the trees where Quen sat, her back and rear only reminded of how uncomfortable the ground and tree trunks were as she eased in next to him.

"I can't sleep," she said wearily, drawing her knees up.

"Why not?" the scarecrow asked curiously. Dena sighed and looked tiredly at him.

"I don't normally sleep on the ground, you know. Normally I'm in a bed, with sheets, pillows, and a soft mattress underneath me."

"So how come Tahoe's sleeping just fine?" Quen glanced at the pup. Dena had attempted to snuggle with the puppy, but despite his soft fur and warm body, his company had not helped at all.

"He's a dog," Dena explained, "They can sleep anywhere. Me, I need a bed. Oh _God_ I miss my old bed."

Without even thinking, the girl leaned over and rested her head on Quen's shoulder. The scarecrow watched her, intrigued.

"Why do people sleep, anyway?" he asked. Dena yawned.

"People get tired and have to rest. Next morning, we're like new, had all our batteries charged and such."

"People have batteries?" Quen asked in surprise. Dena burst out laughing.

"No, silly! That's Syrvic's department. It's just an expression."

"You called?" Syrvic asked.

Since he didn't need to sleep any more than Quen did, the robot had decided to go on sentry duty, keeping an eye out for anything coming their way during the night. It had actually creeped Dena out a little to see the robot's single green eye slowly rotating around like a mini-lighthouse. For now it had stopped to focus on her and the scarecrow.

"No," Dena answered quietly, yawning again, "just teaching Quen here about humans. No big." Syrvic stared for a moment, his expression unreadable before shrugging and going back to guard duty.

Dena stared at the campfire, letting her vision become unfocused as she tried letting sleep come to her. She actually felt better leaning on Quen's shoulder than on the trees. When the sleep finally came, the poor girl's head slipped off her friend's shoulder and ended up right in his lap. Quen was startled by this, for he'd been staring cautiously at the fire, hoping it wouldn't get too close. He'd already put up with enough flames for one day. But this he hadn't expected, and it took a sheer force of will for him not to make any noise, for he wanted Dena to get sleep as much as she did.

Quen watched the girl, fascinated. Ever since the scarecrow had met her, she had been the central focus of his world. He was amazed at how brave she was to rescue him from the burning cornfield, curious at some of her strange ways of talking, admiring of her closeness to Tahoe, appreciative of how kind she had been to Syrvic, and greatly moved by her gratitude of earlier that day. Sure, he was confused the day before by her standoffish attitude, but things had changed a great deal. Never in his wildest fantasies did Quen imagine his life would change so much just from one person.

He stroked her long, tangled, dark hair, marveling at how beautiful she was, even in her disheveled state. A number of strange sensations coursed through his straw frame, causing him to stop, especially when she stirred and unconsciously snuggled closer, treating his leg like a pillow. It actually felt a little scary what this strange and fascinating girl was doing to him, and he wondered how he was going to handle it if it kept up for the next few days……

**~/~/~/~/~**

"…preparations have been coming along without delay, Sorceress," a giant-looking, deep-voiced Wik was saying.

"Thank you, General Okkin," the Black Norn said with a rare show of satisfaction, "you have pleased your Queen." The witch stood on a cliff with Slade and the general, the three of them overlooking a vast valley below. Even in the perpetual darkness, the valley was seething with activity, and many crude fires lit the area in an orange gloom. Training camps and forges were hard at work, seeing to the pounding and refining of troops, armor, and weapons.

As the Black Norn headed back towards her fortress, she asked the general,

"How are the green troops coming along?"

"The Jadeites have become more and more resistant," General Okkin informed her, "they have soldiers watching their settlements now, and more often we must rip their strong and able out of their hiding places before bringing them to be broken in. Some have even interfered with our troop movements in the heartlands."

"That nonsense will stop soon," the Norn growled, annoyed at the news.

"A number of our platoons reported sighting a road of solid gold springing up in areas of Eldan where it was previously unseen," the general added. The witch whirled on him.

"Did they see anyone walking upon it? Did they see that _chit _that stole my Anklets? Tell me what you know!" she snarled. The general was slightly taken aback, but he showed little for the Norn to see.

"No, my commanders report seeing no one traveling those roads. Even travelers they come across avoid them."

"She's moving faster than I thought," the Black Norn said in a low voice, more to herself than the others. She turned once more to the general.

"I want ten legions by next week, do you hear! Push harder if you have to. I don't care how many slime-skins you have to kidnap, just get it done." She then came closer, her staff taking on a menacing light,

"And if you fail, Okkin, I assure you I will have you replaced." For once she saw fear in the Wik's eyes, and he quickly saluted her.

"Your will is law, Sorceress," he answered. "Good," the witch said. She and Slade left the general to his work and stepped on a stone platform, which immediately teleported both of them back to her fortress in a flash of red light.

"Whether you have ten or twenty legions at your disposal, Sorceress, it won't do any good against—" The Norn slapped Slade hard, her long nails leaving a trail of black blood near his right eye as he fell to the floor.

"You underestimate me, _Slade_," the Norn said in a low, dangerous voice, saying his name like an insult, "once I have the Ruby Anklets, ten legions are all I'll need." She towered over him, her staff at ready.

"Forgive me, Sorceress," Slade said flatly, wiping some of the blood off his face, "I was merely pointing out—"

"—What?" the Norn demanded, "That you think I won't get the Ruby Anklets in time? Again, you underestimate me, Slade." She stalked off towards some tables, though she grew irritated at the winged gremlins picking at her equipment.

"Get off my table you little worms!" she yelled, blasting the creatures with her flames. The creatures squealed and scattered, some turning into ash under her fiery tirade.

Slade got up off the floor.

"Your tree and fire-dogs did not work Sorceress. It bothers me because your schemes to do away with others usually works. Surely you made it your business to do in this girl so that the Anklets would come into your hands." The Norn snapped her fingers, causing all the items she'd knocked or burned off the table to repair or re-arrange themselves back in order.

"First of all, the fire-dogs were just an amusement, one of which you happened to rob me of." The Black Norn said, arranging some items.

"Again, I beg for your forgiveness, Sorceress," Slade said, though he did not bow like he did with greater infractions. The witch ignored him.

"Sorceress?" Slade said, wondering why she did not answer.

"It's because she had help! That's why!" the witch suddenly burst out, a halo of fire forming around her, her eyes livid. Slade smoothly backed away from the flames, though he was curious.

"From whom?" he asked.

"It appears one of our scientists succeeded with his paltry experiments in robotics before I had him dispatched, so now we've got an automaton running about, acting like the girl's bodyguard!"

"And how do you intend to deal with this?" Slade asked. It was then a very nasty smile appeared on the Norn's terrifyingly beautiful face.

"I won't have to do a thing for now," she said. She unrolled a very old map of Eldan and sprinkled a fine black powder on it. The powder swirled and let out a tiny explosion over the map, revealing a number of glowing gold lines over the land. Slade came over to look, realizing the gold lines were the solid gold road the general had spoken of. The witch pointed at an area to the southwest.

"Last I saw that pathetic thief, she and her little friends were heading straight towards Skerna Forest." Her long nail rested on a blackened blob representing the extent of the now cursed forest.

"Ah, one of your quicker conquests, Sorceress," Slade purred, reminiscing.

"It is amazing how much magic one can dredge from a forest like that," the Norn agreed, enjoying the praise, "and if our little 'friends' survive passing through, I will be most surprised."

**~/~/~/~/~**

For some reason, Dena felt so much better the next day. She couldn't figure out why, though it might have had something to do with Syrvic finding some berries for her to eat. Or perhaps it was because the day was nice and sunny, with no sign of scary witches or killer trees. As they walked along the Golden Path, the threesome chatted, with Syrvic learning Dena's story as Quen had a few nights before.

However, around midday, Dena was starting to get bored and weary. She looked on ahead, the mirror-like road stretching for what felt like miles.

"God," she murmured, "how long _is _this road, anyway. You'd think they would put up mile markers for this Jaden Gilda told me about."

"I'm afraid much of Eldan is still very wild, despite what the Mage and the Green Warlock did to unite the kingdoms." Syrvic said.

"The Green Warlock?" Dena asked.

"Yes, he was the ruler of Eldan before the Mage," the robot said, turning his eye towards her, "Everyone in Eldan mourned his death for a year, refusing to wear green of any sort out of respect for him.

"He was greatly loved by the people, or, at least my ancestors. Everyone worried the alliance the kingdoms had would fall apart without a ruler in Jaden. Then rumors circulated about a new warlock that called himself the Great Mage, and legend had it that he came from the heavens to take the Green Warlock's place. He has become a legend in Eldan, though many people still don't know much about him."

"How long ago was this?" the girl asked him.

"About a century ago," Syrvic replied.

"The Mage has been ruling that long?" Dena asked in surprise.

"Of course," the robot said in surprise, "witches and warlocks can live for hundreds of years. Being one yourself I would have thought you knew that."

That made Dena stop dead in her tracks. Quen and Tahoe had been walking along, listening as the girl and the robot talked, though her sudden stop made the scarecrow run into her. The girl failed to notice.

"You mind running that by me again?" Dena demanded, frowning at Syrvic.

"Aren't you a witch?" the robot asked, looking confused, "I merely assumed, since you killed the White Norn and are wearing her Anklets now, that you're a witch too."

"Uh, _no_," Dena said firmly, "before this monkey business all started, I was just an ordinary American citizen with about as much magic as those guys who pull rabbits out of their hats. And as for what these things are—" she stuck out a foot to show an anklet, "—I have no clue what they do, or how to use them, so I'm not exactly a witch by those facts alone."

"I'm sorry," Syrvic said, though he did cock his head in a peculiar way.

"I've been meaning to ask you, are you royalty?"

Dena's eyes widened.

"Oh no, not that again!" she cried. The girl threw up her hands and stomped away down the path.

"What did I say?" Syrvic asked in surprise, exchanging glances with Quen. The two of them quickly caught up with Dena.

"Well, are you?" the scarecrow asked, though he hadn't a clue why.

"No," the girl answered, not looking at them, "Gilda thought it would be fun. It was so embarrassing."

"But only true royalty have that mark," Syrvic said, pointing at the shiny silver tattoo on Dena's shoulder.

"That would have been cute when I was little," the girl replied, "but as far as the two of you are concerned, I'm a commoner. The Sonchils thought I was _sooo _great. I felt and still feel like a fake."

"But you're not a fake, Dena," Quen said, stopping her, "you've done so much already that proves you're a hero." Dena looked at him funny,

"Oh yeah, what's that?" she wanted to know.

"You saved me from the cornfield, you faced the tree when you were up in its branches, you didn't give up on me on the cliff, and, uh…"

"You were kind enough to take me along when you didn't have to," Syrvic added with enthusiasm.

"Yeah!" Quen agreed, "And you're not scared of robots or fire. That puts you one up on the two of us." Dena couldn't help but smile.

"Thanks guys, I needed that," she said gratefully.

After a moment the group turned to resume their journey, when Dena saw something that made her jump in fright.

"What the hell is that?!" she cried out, pointing upwards. It looked like a dead bird with a long neck and a limp body hanging from an overhanging branch, its head lodged where the branch split in two like a fork. Syrvic started chuckling.

"Relax, Dena. It's a Hangman Bird. They're ugly, but harmless."

"A Hangman Bird?" the girl repeated dubiously, "How do we know someone didn't put it up there as part of some weird, creepy pagan ritual?"

"I'll show you," the robot replied. He went up to the tree's trunk and shook it, causing the bird to suddenly open its eyes, screech like an angry parrot, and detach itself from the tree before angrily flying away.

"God that thing's ugly," the girl commented with revulsion.

"They appeared soon after Skerna Forest got sick," Syrvic told her as they continued down the Golden Road.

"They don't eat straw, do they?" Quen asked worriedly.

"It's better if you don't know what they eat," the robot said to the scarecrow.

However, as they got back on the road, Dena started getting a very ominous feeling of foreboding as they passed through the area. She couldn't figure out why, but the feeling stayed with her as they walked past more Hangman Birds and various other creepy critters that were now starting to pop up. Around late afternoon, as the group crested a hill, they came upon a sight that made Syrvic stop dead in his tracks.

"Oh no," he said, fear written all over his stainless steel body.

"What's wrong?" Dena asked before looking. For the past few days they had been walking through open woodland, but only a hundred yards ahead, a great _wall _of dark-looking trees seemed to spring up abruptly, the barrier only opened where the Golden Path cut through it.

"Is that the Skerna Forest you were talking about?" Dena asked. The robot nodded gravely.

"I've been avoiding it for the last five years, and I was hoping we weren't heading there, but now I know we're in trouble."

"Why?" Quen asked.

"Um, well, when I said the forest got sick, I was kinda understating it," Syrvic told them. Tahoe, who had been quiet and well-behaved all this time, huddled against his master's leg and started whining fearfully. Dena immediately picked up the shepherd and held him close, attempting to soothe his fears with stroking.

"Just how sick are we talking?" Dena asked, narrowing her eyes at the robot.

"Well, that tree I rescued us from, a lot of the trees are like that in Skerna. I actually found it strange that one would exist so far from there."

"Don't you remember? The Black Norn created that tree just to kill me," Dena reminded him.

"Oh yeah," the robot agreed, "and I barely made it out alive several times before I lost my job as a lumberjack. I swore I'd never go back in there as long as I lived."

"Look Bilza-bot," Dena said firmly, "Gilda said the only safe way to get to Jaden was to stay on the Golden Path. She warned me that if I strayed, things would go very badly. It also seems like this road doesn't go around the forest, and even if we tried, we'd get lost. So I'm afraid we're gonna have to stick to the plan. Besides, you made that promise when you were human. I don't think it applies to a robot."

"Are you saying I'm not alive?" Syrvic demanded, now getting defensive, "That I'm just some machine that runs for no purpose?"

"No," Dena answered, "In fact you've proven you're better than any old 'machine' I ever used. I'm just saying that when you became a robot, perhaps one life ended and a new one began for you. I used to read about stuff like that all the time."

There was silence for a moment.

"You know, I never thought about that," Syrvic said with revelation.

"Now you know why I want a brain," Quen chimed in suddenly, "I wanta be smart like her." Dena burst out laughing.

"Come on you two, before I say something else that'll have you guys talking."

"Hey, wait a minute!" Syrvic ran up and stopped the girl again.

"What?" she asked irritably.

"There's another reason you don't wanta go in there," he said, gesturing at the dark forest.

"Oh yeah, what's that?"

"Wild animals. They can get really feral in there." The robot warned.

"Let me guess; lions and tigers and bears?" the girl prompted.

At this Syrvic chuckled.

"Those are the least of our worries. Since I left, rumor has gone around saying that there's a monster in there, a beast so terrible that travelers have to go on longer routes just to avoid the forest. Nobody knows what it looks like, but many people go in there and never come out."

"After dealing with the Black Norn, the tree, and fire-dogs, I'm not worried," Dena said. At last, she stubbornly walked on ahead into the forest, forcing her two friends to follow.

Dena kept Tahoe in her arms, fearful that he might wander off. The pup quivered in fear, and the fear became contagious as the group went further in. The trees became dark and twisted, reminding Dena of things like _Snow White, _and _The Two Towers_. It made her start to realize that perhaps Syrvic was telling the truth. But what could have happened to him in here that would make him terrified, even now as a robot?

Quen wasn't much better off, fearful of every noise he heard. Dena took pity on him and linked her arm through his, carrying Tahoe in the other. The scarecrow was comforted by this, though he still looked around a lot. She wasn't quite sure what was making Quen a nervous wreck, since there were no fire-dogs to be seen, though she suspected that he still remembered the killer tree from yesterday.

The walk gave Dena time to think over what had happened since she came to Eldan, and each day was now starting to feel like last week to her, since so much was happening. Though it bothered her with something Gilda had said. She claimed the road was safe, and yet so far, Dena had been stalked, nearly eaten, nearly thrown over a cliff, almost burned alive, and now once more the menace felt close at hand. Had the faery lied to her? Or was this road a fraud in magic?

Judging by how long it was, she started getting a feeling it must have been a powerful spell the faery used to activate it. But that still didn't explain why nobody else seemed to be using it, or why those Wiks were not using it in their patrols. After much pondering, Dena then remembered something Gilda had told her.

… _As long as you stay on this path, you'll be safe from the Black Norn. Deviate, and you will be in danger…_

"That's it!" Dena suddenly said out loud, startling her friends.

"What?" Quen asked.

"I know why we've had so much trouble in the past few days. We haven't been staying on the road!"

"What do you mean?" Syrvic inquired.

"Think about it," the girl told them, "every time we've been attacked, we weren't standing on the Golden Path, were we? We were always off to the side or a ways away. And come to think of it, when the Norn attacked us yesterday, her monster thingy wasn't standing on the road either. In fact, I think the fire-dogs barely used the Golden Path at all unless they had to. Maybe this road is safer than we thought!"

"I knew you'd figure it out!" Quen cried with delight. On impulse, he suddenly wrapped Dena in a tight hug and kissed her on the cheek. Dena was so stunned by this that she dropped Tahoe, the pup squealing in protest. The girl stared, her mouth open in shock at the scarecrow for the show of affection, a million thoughts and emotions flashing through her mind before she had to turn away; hiding the blush that spread from her scalp to her shoulders. Her reaction had surprised both her and Quen, with Syrvic watching to see what would happen next.

"Um, yeah, I did," Dena finally said after a long moment, and she quickly started power-walking, not wanting either Quen or Syrvic to see her expression.

"If we literally stay on the road, I don't think we'll get attacked by anything in the forest. We should only step off it when we absolutely have to, ok?" Quen and Syrvic agreed to this.

However, Quen was also surprised at what he'd done, and confused by Dena's reaction. Had he done something wrong? All he could do was ponder this, because for some reason he didn't feel like pushing Dena.

The group stuck close together as they continued their trek through the wood. The trees wove their branches so tightly overhead that the sun was almost completely blocked out. It was as if twilight had already fallen within the forest, although it was only late afternoon. A series of eerie sounds echoed in the shadows as Dena and her friends walked along, each one making the group glance around to see where they came from…

* * *

**Whoa, do I smell a budding relationship in the air? I'll let you guys decide, lol. Seems that Dena made the right choice, choosing Quen and Syrvic for friends. It also seems the Black Norn is up to something far worse than originally thought, and it looks like Dena isn't the only one in trouble with her. I wanted to add a little more history to Eldan, though it does bring up a very interesting question: was there anyone there before the Wizard in the original Oz story? **

**There's a famous rumor from the 1939 **_**Wizard of Oz **_**film that a crewmember on set could be seen hanging themselves in the background during the end of the Tin Man scene. Some even thought it was a munchkin. However, I read up on this and even took a look at the film itself. **

**The story behind the Hanging Rumor was that the film-makers wanted Oz to look more exotic using tropical birds. However, some of them got loose on the set. In the scene when Dorothy and the scarecrow first find apple trees, you can see a toucan sitting on the branch of the tree the witch is hiding behind. In the scene where Dorothy, the scarecrow, and the Tin Man are singing and heading further into the woods, there's movement up in the trees. It's actually a crane (bird) that's walking around, not a man hanging himself. It's not easy to see because it's brown like the trees, but if you know where to look, it's screamingly obvious. **

**I didn't actually know about this rumor until I was surfing the web all those years ago, and found some Oz facts on this one website. They even have a screenshot with the crane circled so people will know where to find it while watching the movie. Truth be told, to me it doesn't look at all like a man hanging himself. **

**And now, onto Part 2 ;) ……**


	11. The Monster of Skerna Forest

**There's another reason for this double feature. I'm leaving on vacation in a few days, & will be gone 'till the middle of the month. So I hope these chapters keep you all going until I get back :)**

**Okay, I've delayed enough, lol. We're missing one more character in this re-telling, so the time has come…**

* * *

Dena didn't actually scare easily, but she was cautious. She also worried at finding another tree like the one Quen and Syrvic had fought, though none of the ones near the Golden Path resembled the killer apple tree.

After a while, the group realized it was simply too dark to go on, and Syrvic warned that this was the most dangerous time to be in Skerna Forest. At Dena's suggestion, they made camp right there on the Golden Path. Although he was skeptical, Syrvic preferred the girl's theory about the magic the road supposedly had. Quen stayed close to Dena while the robot went off to get firewood.

"I thought you said the trees around here were sick. Why would you want to burn their wood?" she asked.

"Just because the timber can't be used for building or making paper, doesn't mean it can't burn," Syrvic pointed out. With that, he used his laser to cut up a fallen tree near the road.

Dena remembered seeing the robot recharging soon after sunrise. It was very strange, seeing his metal skin pulsing with shimmering light in the wake of the newborn sun's rays. Even Quen found it fascinating to see how the robot kept his batteries charged. For once, Syrvic had been the one being battered with questions from the scarecrow that morning. Now all was quiet…too quiet.

The robot managed to get a fire going on the road, though Dena discovered she had to keep further away from it than usual, for the metal of the road heated up under the burning wood pile. Once more, her eyes followed the gold path as it stretched into the darkness.

"Gilda wasn't kidding when she said it was a long trip to the Mage," Dena said, pulling her knees to her chest.

"How far is it?" Quen asked, petting Tahoe.

"Not sure," the girl replied, "but if we have to go any farther I'm gonna scream."

"Why?" Syrvic asked.

"Where I come from, people usually go long distances using cars or airplanes, not walking. You'd think we had signed up for the hiking trip of the year."

"What are cars and airplanes?" Quen asked. Dena rolled her eyes, not really up to explaining, though she had a feeling they didn't exist in Eldan. It made her wonder just exactly how people, if any, got around.

"Can I make a request?" Syrvic asked.

"What?" Dena said.

"Can you wait 'till we get out of this wood to scream? Any loud noises we make, especially now, might attract those wild animals you scoffed about, or worse yet, the Monster."

"Sure," Dena said, rolling her eyes once more.

Not sure of what else to do, Dena lay down on the hard, metal road and attempted to go to sleep, though lying on solid gold was far worse than hard ground. She remembered hearing about people who bragged about how tough they were for sleeping on plywood boards instead of beds, and it made her wonder just how stupid they actually were for doing that. Nobody in the _world_ could be comfortable sleeping that way. She tried lying with her head on Tahoe, but the puppy didn't like the weight of her head on his belly, so he quickly moved away to another spot to snooze.

Dena went through a painful, troubled sleep for less than an hour before she heard a strange noise nearby. She sat up, listening, only to realize someone was weeping. She looked around and saw Syrvic sitting on a log he'd apparently carried over to use as a seat. He was facing away from the fire, slouched over, his sobbing quiet and very sad to listen to. Dena got up, her anklets shimmering in the light of the fire as she went over to the robot.

"What's wrong?" she asked. She heard something shut and Syrvic quickly looked her way, surprised.

"Oh! Nothing, nothing you need to worry about. Don't mind me," he said hastily.

"Were you crying?" Dena asked, putting a hand on his metal shoulder.

"No," he shook his head too quickly, "I can't cry. I can't make tears…at least, not anymore."

"But I heard you," she said quietly. Syrvic looked at her with his one eye for a long moment before turning away.

"Why were you crying?" she asked.

"You don't want to hear it." The robot said dismissively.

"Sure I do," Dena offered, kneeling down in front of him, "don't be scared to tell me." Syrvic looked at her for another long moment before speaking.

"It's about the heart again. You don't know how much I miss having one. To feel it beating in my chest, feel it speeding up when I got excited or scared, to feel it flutter at the pretty girls in the villages, to hear it sing when I was cutting trees, doing what I loved most." He then pressed a panel on his steel chest, causing it to become transparent before he made it slide open.

"That's where the robot heart was supposed to go. But all I have is an empty chamber. Nothing would make me feel better than to have that empty hole filled."

Dena gazed at him while she listened. And when he finished, she couldn't help but reach inside and touch the empty chamber, which was slightly larger than her fist.

"I'm sorry he did that to you Syrvic." She said. The girl had been so moved by his words that she got an idea. She took the robot's metal hand and placed it on her chest, below the collarbone. His eye blinked in surprise before looking down. Dena wasn't really aware of it, but Syrvic had changed his vision so that her body seemed as transparent as glass. The only thing he saw now was her heart, glowing a bright coral pink in her chest. Sensing its vibrations brought comfort to him, and he smiled in his own way.

Syrvic then pulled Dena into a very warm hug.

"Thank you," he whispered. Dena smiled.

"You're welcome," she whispered back, before going over to her spot near the fire. The robot watched her lie down before going back to sentry duty.

Quen, who had been sitting with his legs folded near the edge of the road, had been watching Dena tossing and turning in her sleep, knowing that she was in even more pain than usual. He had an idea to help Dena, but was unsure of how she would react.

"Dena?" he said.

"Yeah?" the girl replied, reluctantly lying down and using her arms to support her head.

"I was just wondering…" the scarecrow's voice trailed off.

"What?" Dena prompted tiredly.

"Since there aren't any beds around, maybe you could use me."

Dena sat bolt upright, staring at Quen in shock.

"You _gotta_ be kidding me," she said in disbelief.

"Well, the farmer who made me used to sleep on a straw mattress. Maybe you could let me be your bed for the night," Quen suggested, the expression in his eyes innocent as ever. Had such a proposition come from anyone else, Dena would have been instantly suspicious, but because of the scarecrow's sincerity, the girl could only assume he genuinely meant to help. She then sighed and lay down again.

"I can't do that to you Quen. It wouldn't be right," she told him.

"I wouldn't mind," he told her, "and you need sleep worse than I thought. It's hurting both me and Syrvic to watch you suffer like this."

"Suffer like what?" the girl demanded weakly, not really wanting to listen.

"You're in pain when you sleep. I see it. Every night you toss and turn, and in the morning you look awful. Please, I want to help."

Dena turned her weary dark eyes towards him, considering for a moment before finally giving in.

"I suppose you would have pestered me about it all night anyway," she grumbled as she got up and came over.

"Maybe not," the scarecrow replied quietly.

"No funny stuff," she warned Quen as he lay down.

"I promise," he said.

It felt very strange, and though straw poked Dena in various places, Quen actually felt much better compared to the hard metal road. She lay very stiffly on her side, grateful that the darkness hid her embarrassment, and worried her face would set on fire any moment. She was surprised at how warm he was, and curious at how he had his own body heat.

"I'm not crushing you, am I?" she asked.

"No," the scarecrow replied, "I can't feel pain except when I'm on fire." He looked warily over at the dying campfire as he spoke.

Dena attempted to relax by talking.

"I was thinking about yesterday," she yawned, "when I wished the fire-dogs would drown and the tree broke. I don't think their fire was what made it break."

"What do you think it was?" Quen asked. Dena was quiet for a moment.

"I think it had something to do with the Anklets." She finally let out.

"Why would you say that?" the scarecrow inquired. Dena sighed.

"I guess…oh I don't know. Gilda said they were the most powerful anklets in Eldan, and yet she wouldn't tell me what they do. All she told me was that they were the first ever made, and that the Black Norn wanted them real bad."

"Do you think they grant wishes?" Quen asked.

"I'm not sure," Dena replied, "let's experiment. I wish we were in Jaden right now."

Nothing happened.

"Okay, I guess it's not that simple," the girl said, though she was disappointed. With that, she surrendered to sleep, relaxing for the first time since her first night in Eldan. It actually pleased Quen to see her this way, and he rested a hand on her shoulder, holding the girl close as she slept.

Several hours later, Dena woke to a very strange sound. She couldn't tell whether it was some form of snuffling or if some animal was trotting about in the nearby dirt.

"You okay?" Quen asked curiously. Dena stretched.

"Yeah," she replied, "I just need to make a pit-stop."

Thankfully, this sort of thing had happened often enough in the past two days that the scarecrow wasn't asking silly questions about it now. He lay still while the girl got up and inspected the fire. Syrvic was still watching, though Tahoe had woken up, the retinas of his puppy eyes flashing emerald green in the dark where he lay. The fire had gone down to a few smoldering embers, so Dena grabbed some twigs from the pile Syrvic had set aside and gently blew on them to bring the flames back.

As she headed over to the trees, Syrvic asked,

"Where are you going?"

"I gotta use the ladies' room," the teen told him.

"Can't you hold it 'till morning?" the robot asked, "It's still dangerous right now."

"Thank you, Captain Obvious," Dena snorted, "And no, I can't. Just relax, I'm not going far." The robot had half a mind to use his night-vision to watch her, but he never could bring himself to watch others doing private activities like that, so he kept his audio sensors on alert.

Meanwhile, Dena didn't actually need to go to the bathroom. It was just an excuse. Once she was behind a layer of trees, she went to go investigate the sound. There was something weird about it, something she couldn't quite put her finger on. She could swear she'd heard it before.

The girl tread carefully, worried she might step on a twig and snap it, or fall flat on her face in the dark. She kept the light of the campfire visible, so she would know where to go back to. Dena came to what felt like a clearing, though all she could see was starlight up above the black tree branches. All was silent now, and the girl realized that she had been on a fool's errand. She sighed at her stupidity and turned to follow the firelight back to her friends. It was then she heard the noise again. Dena turned, her weak human eyes unable to pick anything out from the darkness around her. All was silent again, though the hairs on the back of her neck began to stand on end.

Another noise came behind her, and Dena turned in time to see something huge take a flying leap out of the trees and pounce on her. The girl didn't even have time to scream, having the wind knocked out of her as landed on her back. The creature snarled and batted her with a huge paw, causing Dena to gasp and squirm out from underneath it. Her pulse skyrocketed as she scrambled to get to her feet, only to be knocked to the side, the monster immediately on top of her again. It growled, pinning her to the ground with a huge clawed paw. Dena finally got some air back into her and screamed,

"Help! Quen! Syrvic! Somebody! Help!"

Immediately, Dena saw a bright light flashing through the trees. Syrvic was running towards her, his eye lit up like an angry flashlight.

"Holy hand-grenades!" she heard him gasp in disbelief. Quen ran and stumbled along behind him, and Tahoe came rushing at their heels, barking like crazy. However, the light didn't improve things, for Dena found herself underneath something that had four legs and lots of teeth.

"Let her go, now!" the robot threatened, pointing his laser beam at the monster.

"Don't make me use these," Quen added, putting up his dukes. To Dena's surprise, the monster actually answered back.

"Back off, junkyard, she's mine!" it snarled at Syrvic.

"You can talk?!" Dena said in shock, to which the beast growled at her.

"Let her go you big jerk!" Quen yelled, getting closer with his fists. The monster only laughed at this.

"Nice try dirtbag," he chortled. His rumbling voice had a slight accent that reminded Dena vaguely of a New Yorker.

"I'll have you know, I'm full of hay," the scarecrow said, insulted.

"Even better, mattress boy," the monster said, swiping at him. Quen ducked out of the way. It was then Tahoe got brave, outraged at seeing his mistress at the mercy of the monster. The little shepherd ran up, growling and barking angrily at the creature that was ten times his size. The monster threw an irritated glance at the puppy.

"You're next, pee-wee," it growled, taking a swipe at Tahoe.

Dena was absolutely livid at this, seeing this big brute trying to hurt her dog.

"Why you son of a—" with that she punched the beast right on the nose.

"_Ow!_" the monster suddenly cried out in pain. Immediately the weight was off Dena as the creature backed away, holding his nose. The girl scrambled to her feet and immediately scooped up Tahoe before joining Quen and Syrvic. Quen put his arms around Dena while Syrvic kept his laser pointed at the monster, though now things were starting to get confusing. The wild, bloodthirsty monster they'd been dealing with had very quickly crumpled down onto his hindquarters, crying and rubbing his nose.

"That hurt," it sobbed, "did ya hafta hit so hard? I'm gonna get a nosebleed for sure!" Dena stared at it oddly, though at the same time, she was amazed at what Syrvic's light revealed.

The beast that had attacked her was the strangest she'd ever seen. It was very big, for Dena's head only went up to the thing's shoulder. It looked across between a lion, a leopard, an eagle, and a dragon. It had the overly muscular body of a lion, the clawed back feet of an eagle, and a light gold pelt with black spots like leopard. Its neck was somewhat longer than a lion's, with a head like a dragon, though covered in smooth fur. A pair of feathery ears stuck out of the beast's head like horns, and its eyes were bright yellow and slitted like a cat's. It had an incredible mane of shimmery feathers that covered the back of its head, neck, shoulders, spine, and tail. The feathers were bronze and black, with shimmers of deep orange and dark green. The creature's tail was whip-like, though covered in a fan of the feathers at the base as well as more thinly along the rest. It reminded Dena of a dragon's tail, with a stinger on the end. But what caught Dena's eye the most were its wings. The creature had the most amazing set of wings made of the same, shimmery bronze feathers. Never in her life had she seen such a strange and terrifying beast.

Though now, seeing him crying and rubbing his nose, he didn't seem so scary.

"What did you expect?" Dena scolded, "Scaring me half to death in the dark and insulting my friends. And how _dare_ you pick on a poor defenseless puppy!"

"You didn't have to cave my nose in," the monster blubbered. Huge tears were now pouring out of its eyes, soaking its fur and feathers.

Dena exchanged looks with Syrvic and Quen. The robot had lowered his laser, though he remained wary of the monster. Quen kept his arms protectively around the girl, not at all eager to see her menaced again. Dena didn't object, though she carefully slipped out of the scarecrow's arms and approached the beast.

"God, you act like I stabbed you in the heart, calm down." She told it, for something very strange inside told Dena that this creature was not what it seemed.

"I mean, what did you expect when you bully people not as…powerful…as you are? God, you are such a wimp."

"Thanks a lot," the monster said unhappily through its tears, "now the whole world knows about it." Dena looked him over, weirded out and fascinated at the same time now.

"What exactly are you?" she wanted to know.

"I'm a griffin, what's it to ya?" the beast sniffed. The girl stared at him funny.

"You're not like any griffin I've ever seen," she commented.

"How many have you met?" he asked.

"Um, none," the girl admitted.

"Just as well, they scare me," the griffin said.

"Wha—how can you possibly be scared of your own kind?" Syrvic asked in disbelief, joining the conversation.

"I'm scared of lots of things," the griffin told him, "if they were handing out badges of bravery I'd miss the line twice. Sometimes when I see my face in water I even scare myself. I haven't been able to sleep in weeks because things in this forest terrify me."

Dena thought for a moment.

"Why did you attack me?" she asked.

"It's something I do," the griffin explained, "I scare travelers coming through here. Keeps me from going bonkers in this place. I didn't mean anything by it, I was gonna let you go. That's what I do with all of them. Growl and snarl a bit and they go running off, screaming. No harm done."

"You have _got _to be kidding," Dena said incredulously. She turned to the others.

"Guys, I think we just met the Monster of Skerna Forest."

"I'd believe it," Quen said.

"Same here," Syrvic said irritably, turning to the griffin.

"You looked pretty serious about tearing Dena apart. What assurances do we have that you aren't planning on eating us the moment we turn our backs?" With that, he pointed his laser at the beast again, powering up as he spoke. The griffin immediately shrank away, frightened by the weapon.

"That's as good assurance as any," Dena said, putting her hand on Syrvic's arm. She gently had him lower the laser. By now the griffin had calmed down, though he was still sniffing as she came over. The girl put Tahoe down and tentatively reached up to touch the creature's nose. Once apologies were made, she gazed up into the griffin's eyes, now feeling assured he wasn't going to hurt her or her friends.

"What's your name?" she asked.

"Themen," the griffin answered.

"Interesting name," the girl commented, "Mine's Dena." With that, she introduced the others. She invited the griffin over to their camp on the Golden Path.

"How can you be so nice to me?" Themen asked.

"It's just my nature, can't get around it," the girl shrugged.

She had Syrvic relight the fire before sitting down with Quen. Themen settled awkwardly down near Dena, and the robot sat on the opposite side of the fire, watching the griffin warily. Tahoe trotted up and leaped into his mistress's lap.

"You know, we could use somebody like him on our trip," Dena told Quen and Syrvic.

"Since when?" the robot demanded, "He almost killed you!"

"You know he wasn't gonna do that. After all, he's forgiven."

"I am?" the griffin said in surprise.

"Yeah," Dena nodded to him. She then turned back to Syrvic.

"I'm just saying, the Mage could help him in the bravery department. I mean, if he could possibly get brains for Quen, a heart for you, and me back to Nebraska, what's a little courage for the big guy over there gonna cost him?"

"I see your point," the robot said flatly.

"So whataya say?" Dena said, turning to Themen, "We're seeing the Mage of Eldan for help. Wanta come along? Get some bravery?"

"Aren't you afraid I'd embarrass you and your friends, being a cowardly griffin?" Themen asked back.

"Nah," Dena shook her head, "I've been around enough strange things not to be bothered by that. Please, come with us. We can help you out." All of a sudden, the monster started crying again. Dena looked at her other friends in alarm.

"What did I say?" she asked anxiously.

"You're just so nice," Themen sobbed, "nobody's ever been that kind to me before."

"Aww, you're welcome," the girl beamed. She went over and wrapped her arms around the griffin's neck, only to end up with a shower of salty tears all over her dress and a big furry front leg crushing her slightly.

"If I still had a stomach I'd throw up," the robot muttered.

"Syrvic, don't make me come over there," Dena warned as she went back to Quen. The scarecrow was thankfully more easy-going about this whole situation, and had not complained once about the griffin since Dena had made peace with it. He simply lay down and let Dena use him for a bed again, though Themen did something that surprised both of them. Just as Dena settled down, the griffin came over a few minutes later and lay down behind the girl's back. He then spread his right wing to cover both her and Quen up, like a large, feathery blanket.

"Um, thanks," Dena said in astonishment, though all Themen did to reply was snore loudly.

_Wow, _the girl thought as she went back to sleep, _the people I meet in this place……_

* * *

**So there we have it, our "Cowardly Lion," lol. It also appears Syrvic isn't in the mood to be friends with Themen for now. Maybe he'll stop being a stick in the mud later ;) **

**The Cowardly Lion was played by Bert Lahr in the original 1939 movie, and I'm told he was a comedian, which probably explains why his character is a huge source of humor in the film, lol. In fact, I once watched **_**Wizard of Oz **_**in an old-fashioned theater that only showed old films, and people were laughing their heads off when the Lion came bounding out of the woods and "menacing" Dorothy and her friends. Even Judy Garland was not immune to Bert's silly antics. **

**While they were filming that scene, poor Judy kept bursting out laughing while trying to do her lines, and at one point, the director actually had to take her behind a tree and slap her before she could calm down. Judy Garland then nailed the scene in one take, though the director felt awful about what he did. However, when he went to say sorry, she actually thanked him because it helped her snap out of her giggling fits. If you watch the Cowardly Lion scene, you can actually see Judy trying not to laugh before she says "My goodness, what a fuss you're making!" **

**Bert's costume weighed 90 lbs. and was made of real lion skin, though his makeup made it difficult to eat, so he'd have it re-applied after meals. (Same story for the scarecrow). I actually read on Internet Movie Database that the scarecrow, tin man, and the lion couldn't eat in the studio cafeteria with other actors and crew that were working nearby, because their costumes and makeup scared people, rofl. They had to eat in their dressing rooms instead. (Gee, if they tried that today, people would mob them for autographs, lmao). :D**

**I hope you guys enjoyed the chapters & I'll get back to you after I come back from vacation. Bye for now all :)**


	12. Attack of the Wiks

**Guess who, everybody?! I'm back & ready with more action, lol! After my first real vacation in 10 years, I'm totally ready to bring you another chapter from Eldan :D Happy April Fools everyone! :) It's my dog's birthday today. Her name is Ginger and she's 5 years old today ^_^ Still acting like a puppy too, lol. This chapter deviates a little from the path of the 1939 script, but it'll be worthwhile for all…**

* * *

"I do not _believe _this!" the Black Norn cried out in anger and dismay. She and Slade had been watching Dena and her friends since they entered Skerna Forest through the crystal sphere. It appeared things had not gone in the witch's favor.

"I don't understand it either," Slade agreed, equally perplexed.

"I have heard _hundreds_ of stories about this beast," the Black Norn raved, pacing, "how it killed hundreds of travelers foolish enough to set foot in the forest, how it could come and go in the night, how it could kill quickly and leave equally as fast. Even those with weapons going into the woods didn't stand a chance. And now we find it was all a lie! _Aarrghh!_" Never had the Norn felt so stupid before now. If there was one thing she hated more than being thwarted, it was being deceived.

As she made her angry noise, she stabbed her staff into the ground and a great, terrible rumbling took place outside, accompanied by an immense explosion. Slade looked out to see a new volcano had formed only a mile from the fortress, its lava and clouds nearly white-hot with the witch's fury fueling it.

"Brilliant display, Sorcer—"

"Shut up Slade!" the Norn snarled. She immediately stormed downstairs to her war room.

"General!" she roared, smashing her fist down onto the large basalt table dominating the room. Within moments a portal flashed red at the other end of the room, and the gargantuan Okkin materialized. He took in her smoldering black eyes before nodding.

"Sorceress?" he greeted.

"How many companies are near Skerna Forest?" she demanded.

"On last report, three," the general informed her.

"Mobilize them!" she ordered, "I want them to find that brat and bring her to me, _now!_"

"Understood," the general said before leaving.

By now Slade had caught up with his mistress.

"I was wondering how long it would be before you mobilized the Wiks," he said. The Black Norn glared at him.

"Are you making the _mistake_ of patronizing me, Slade?" she asked in a low, dangerous tone. She already had her clawed hand held out, and a painful series of bleeding lines had begun to form on Slade's forehead. However, he hid his immediate pain and kept his chartreuse gaze even.

"No," he replied coolly, "though you are known for taking the direct approach most of the time. Why now?" At this, the Norn abruptly let off her torture session.

"Remind me to strangle you later, we have more important work to do," the witch growled as she stalked down the many steps to the courtyard.

"Already this situation has gotten out of hand," she said, heading over to the breeding pens. Slade followed her, carefully wiping the black blood dripping profusely along his brow.

"First the little brat steals my Anklets, then Gilda keeps me from killing her, _then _a robot capable of cutting my tree joins her, somehow she eludes my fire dogs, and that supposed monster that was meant to kill her and her little friends turns out to be a complete joke! And _now_ she knows the secret of that damned road! It's no more Madam Nice Guy. It's time we upped the ante!"

**~/~/~/~/~**

Dawn had touched the dark woods late, its light unable to penetrate the trees until several hours after the sun had gotten up. It wasn't long before Dena and her friends were up and on their way down the road. They made quite a sight; a disheveled, dark-haired girl in a dirty blue party dress, a scarecrow walking all over the place, a silvery robot clanking along the road, a gigantic griffin taking up half that same road, and a little German shepherd puppy trotting along with a silly grin on his face.

Themen had actually found it strange, their camping on the road, though when Dena explained its protective powers, the griffin quickly understood. Like the others, he soon learned the girl's story for being in Eldan and why she was going to see the Mage, and it amazed him at how brave Dena had already been for facing all the dangers she'd experienced so far.

"That's our Dena," Quen bragged, "the smart, brave one."

"Don't sell me short, Quen," Dena teased.

"I would never sell you!" he exclaimed, "You're priceless." The girl laughed at this.

"You're sweet."

"What about me?" Syrvic asked.

"You've definitely been an asset to this trip," the girl told him, "I'm not sure we would have survived that tree or the fire-dogs without you."

"Gee, you guys lead a dangerous life," Themen added in.

"Nah, though that just tends to happen when you piss off witches," Dena replied.

The Golden Path began to twist and turn as it progressed through the dark forest, and the land grew even wilder, with more bushes and foliage contesting the trees for density. It was impossible to know what the forest floor looked like, much less if the land was rising or not.

As she and her friends walked along, Dena was reminded of the continuing degradation of her once pretty heeled sandals. It was only a matter of time before the straps broke, and she'd have to go barefoot. Much as Dena enjoyed doing that around her home during the summer, she didn't think it would be a good idea while traveling in Eldan. However, she glanced over at the enormous Themen and got an idea.

"Themen?" she began.

"Yeah?" the beast replied.

"Do you mind giving me a ride? I'm kinda slow compared to Quen and Syrvic, and I think it would help all of us get to Jaden faster." Themen slowed in his walk and stared at her strangely. Dena regretted asking the moment she made the request. The odd look in his yellow eyes embarrassed her immediately.

"Never mind. Forget I asked," she waved off. The girl was then stopped by Themen's large furry paw, causing her to look back at him curiously. Syrvic and Quen also stopped further up ahead and watched. Tahoe merely stood by and wagged his tail.

"Nobody's ever asked me to do that before," Themen said at first, putting his paw down. He stared at Dena for a moment before continuing.

"I owe you for what you did last night, Dena. Most people just run away, but you and your friends didn't. You were kind and forgiving. I don't mind helping if it means we get out of this forest faster. Come on." The girl could not resist the smile that bloomed on her face at the generosity Themen presented, and with that, she eagerly thanked the griffin and climbed on.

It felt strange up there. Dena had ridden on horseback a number of times on the trails around Lake Tahoe, but this was way different compared to being on a horse. Sitting on a bed of feathers felt funny, as well as having to spread her legs much wider than on a horse's torso. The girl found she had to hang onto Themen's mane of feathers on the back of his neck to keep from swaying too much from his gait. She could feel his huge muscles moving underneath her, and it amazed her at how lucky they were to have found him. Despite being a coward, the girl was certain the mere sight of the griffin would frighten away any potential evils. She couldn't have been more wrong.

**~/~/~/~/~**

By mid-morning, a great thumping and crashing could be heard from what felt like all directions.

"What the hell is all that noise?" Dena wanted to know.

"Wiks!" Syrvic cried out, his sensors going wild.

"Where?!" Dena, Quen, and Themen all asked at once, panic showing in their voices.

"Three different groups, coming from the north, west, and south!" the robot said, his head darting in all three directions.

"Jiminy Horcromps!" he cursed under his metallic breath.

Themen immediately took off, crashing through the trees and underbrush before anyone could say a word.

Dena now regretted asking to ride on his back, for she had to deal with branches whipping her in the face, bushes scratching her bare legs, and trees hitting her in various places as the griffin ran.

"Themen! You're going the wrong way!" the girl yelled, for the beast was going north, and she was certain he wasn't thinking at all. She crouched low to his back, hoping to God she wouldn't have a tree branch smash her in the face, and so far, she was lucky. However, she had feathers in her face, and they kept her from seeing where the griffin was running.

Syrvic and Quen had little choice but to follow the terrified Themen in his flight, for the griffin seemed to forget just how important it was to stay on the path.

"Damn that Themen!" Syrvic fumed as he and the scarecrow dashed through the trees,

"What was she thinking, wandering off the path in the middle of the night and making friends with him? I knew we couldn't trust him!"

"We gotta find them before the Wiks do," Quen reminded him, remembering all too well how the soldiers had tried turning him into kindling only a few days ago.

"Well, they're definitely after us now," the robot declared.

The great orchestra of stomping feet, clanking armor, and banging weapons seemed to echo everywhere in the forest, making it difficult to know where the soldiers were exactly. It wasn't long before Dena suddenly heard a great crash, and felt Themen screech to a halt. She looked up in time to see a great wall of soldiers in front of them, all their weapons pointed at Themen.

In the past few times Dena had seen the Wiks, she had only seen them at a distance, and if they had seemed scary and surreal then, they were all-out horrifying now. Now Dena could see the ugly, pointed green faces behind the black and red metal helmets, and the burning look of murder in their black eyes.

"Oh crap!" she cried out in horror.

"That's her!" the soldiers' commander thundered, "Seize her!"

Themen's reaction was instantaneous. He screamed in terror and took a ninety-degree turn before tearing off, the Wiks following with surprising speed for their supposedly heavy armor. This time, Dena did not object to Themen's running away, though as she re-buried her face into the griffin's feathers, she hoped he would find some way of getting out of danger.

It wasn't hard for Syrvic and Quen to follow the griffin. The beast left behind a wide path of destruction through the woods, and it worried both of them more and more, for the robot quickly told his scarecrow companion just how close the Wiks were getting. Incidentally, they took a shortcut and found themselves face-to-face with not one Wik platoon, but two, for the western troop had joined the northern one in the chase. The soldiers stopped dead in their tracks, not quite sure what to make of the scarecrow and the robot. They had been told to look for a girl, and they were not used to people other than humans and Jadeites.

Quen kept himself poised to run, for he knew he'd be no match for the soldiers, but he wondered what Syrvic would do, since the robot had an actual weapon. To his surprise, Syrvic put on a rather idiotic smile and waved at confused soldiers.

"Hello guys, lovely day to be walking in the woods, isn't it?"

Quen stared in disbelief as the robot approached the armored horde, wondering if his friend had lost his positronic mind. The soldiers murmured amongst themselves, keeping their glaives slightly poised, unsure of what Syrvic might do.

"My buddy and I happened to be taking a lovely stroll, when we come across some interesting gentlemen such as yourselves. Allow me to extend a hand of greeting—"

Syrvic's next movements were so fast he was almost invisible. It took Quen nearly an hour after it happened to comprehend what he'd seen. Syrvic instantly activated his laser, dividing several Wiks in half before the green beam reflected off a number of the soldiers' armor, causing it to bounce in several directions and cut crazily into the surrounding trees. As the soldiers leaped into the attack, a great rumble and groan could be heard before huge hunks of the trees came crashing down, promptly crushing many of the soldiers in front before blocking off others from getting any further towards Quen and Syrvic. The unlikely pair was already several hundred yards into the thicket before the trees had a chance to crush them as well, though the robot's strategy had nearly backfired on him.

It was several minutes before the robot and scarecrow were aware at how quiet the forest had become. They could still hear the soldiers cussing and making a commotion in the distance, but according to Syrvic's scans, they had not gotten any further since the disaster. It allowed him to breathe a sigh of relief before Quen spoke his next thoughts out loud.

"Where did Themen go? He just disappeared."

"Give me a sec," Syrvic told him, scanning the area. He soon picked up the griffin's all-too-obvious trail before he realized where the beast had gone.

"Great hoobersnorts!" the robot exclaimed in amazement, "That brute was smarter than I thought! Come on." He quickly had Quen follow as the two of them rushed on ahead.

**~/~/~/~/~**

Dena was so focused on getting away from the Wiks that she barely noticed their sounds dying away as she and Themen galloped away into the underbrush. The sound of him panicking and crashing along drowned out the clanking armor and shouts somewhat, and she wasn't aware that they'd escaped until she suddenly felt darkness surrounding her. She raised her head to look about.

"What the—" the girl said, and something abruptly smashed into her head, causing her to see stars before everything went black.

* * *

**Looks like we got a classic cliff-hanger ;) So what happened to Dena? And is Themen not as trustworthy as we thought? And what about the third regiment of Wiks? **

**It was as much a surprise to me as it'll be to all of you, but not only did I have to split this most recent chapter because it was so long, but it's now **_**three **_**chapters! Since the work is already done, I'll wait precisely a week before updating again. Stay tuned everybody :D**


	13. The Hidden Temple

**What's up everyone? As promised, the update has come 1 week later. Now we get to find out what happened to Dena, and answer some questions from the last chapter…**

* * *

Quen and Syrvic found the cave ten minutes after Themen did; though had it not been for the griffin's messy trail and Syrvic's scanning talents, they wouldn't have found it at all. Much of it was obscured by foliage and moss-covered rock formations. They saw nothing at first when they entered, but the sound of crying came to their attention, and the pair immediately rushed towards the noise. The robot and scarecrow found Themen in a deeper part of the cave's entrance, weeping over something. Quen gasped in horror at what it was.

"Dena!" he cried out, rushing over. The girl was lying facedown in the dirt, her body limp. The scarecrow immediately kneeled down and gathered her into his arms.

"Dena, wake up! Say something!" he begged, shaking her.

"I didn't mean to do it," Themen sobbed, "I didn't think the cave's teeth were so low."

"What happened?" Syrvic asked. The griffin only cried louder, though the robot wondered at his words. He scanned the cave ceiling and saw some blood on a stalactite near the entrance.

"She hit her head on one of those?" he asked. Themen sniffed and nodded.

"Is she dead?" Quen asked fearfully, holding the limp girl close. Syrvic immediately knelt down and trained his eye on Dena for a quick scan.

"Her heart's still beating, so that's a plus," he declared with a thumb's up, "I think she just got knocked out."

"Oh, thank the stars," Quen sighed with relief. The news eventually reached Themen as well.

"She's not dead?" he asked with faint hope.

"Yep," the scarecrow confirmed.

"Thank goodness," the griffin sniffed, wiping his nose.

The group's relief was cut short by a loud, collective clanking and stomping from close by. Daylight from the cave's entrance was severely reduced from the last of the three Wik companies. The group from the south had skirted past the trap their comrades were still dealing with, and now they had their quarry cornered.

"We know you're in there. Surrender now and we will not harm you," the commander called from the cave entrance. Dena's friends knew the Wiks would show them no mercy, regardless of what they'd do to Dena herself. It was in that moment that Quen absolutely _hated _the Wiks. They were the ones responsible for getting Dena into this mess, and the scarecrow wasn't about to let her fall into enemy hands, let alone the Black Norn. He carefully handed the unconscious girl to Themen.

"Liars!" he roared, grabbing Syrvic's right arm and activating the laser, pointing it everywhere he could at the cave entrance. Within moments, shouts and clanging metal erupted at the other end of the tunnel, as well as a great rumbling all around them. Chunks of rock and stalactites started raining down from the ceiling near the cave's entrance, crushing a few foolhardy Wiks that attempted to charge in.

Dena's friends were faster, the three of them running deeper into the cave in an attempt to outrun the rocks falling from above. It wasn't long before the last of the light from the cave entrance was snuffed out, drenching the group in darkness.

It was several minutes before the cave-in stopped, and soon, all anyone in the group could hear was Themen's panting.

"Where are we?" Quen asked.

"I don't know!" the griffin wailed.

"You are such a baby," Syrvic grumbled at the beast, his eye lighting up the area immediately. They were in a cavern about the size of a house, with three tunnels leading off in several directions. Themen clutched Dena close, having been forced to run on three legs while she was slumped over his shoulder. Now that Quen could see her, he had the griffin hand her over.

"I hope she's all right," he murmured to no one in particular.

"Well, nice work Quen," Syrvic said sarcastically as the scarecrow sat down, "you stopped the Wiks, but now we're trapped. Brilliant thinking on your part."

"I don't have a brain, you know," the scarecrow reminded him, setting Dena up so she sat in his lap.

"That part's been obvious to me since I first met you," the robot pointed out.

"And one more thing. Don't _ever, EVER _touch my laser again! Do you understand?"

Quen looked Syrvic squarely in the eye and said "Yes" very firmly.

The robot's mood softened as his attention turned to Dena. He crouched down to look her over while Quen cradled her in his arms, all of them wishing she was awake. Themen settled down behind Quen, allowing the scarecrow to lean on his flank while he held Dena. Syrvic watched for a moment, his eye revealing more than just the cave in his illuminated observations.

"You're being very protective of her, aren't you?" he noted.

"What do you mean?" Quen asked, dabbing the girl's head scrape with his scarf.

"In the short time I've known you; I've never seen you get that angry before. You always seemed like an easy-going kinda guy to me." The scarecrow merely shrugged, not sure what his robot friend was getting at.

The girl then took in a deep breath and groaned.

"Dena!" all three of her friends exclaimed. The brunette's eyes slowly opened, a wave of pain blooming from the side of her head. She groaned again, touching the large bruise on her temple.

"Ow," she moaned.

"You all right?" Quen asked urgently, gently pushing Dena's hair out of the way.

"My head hurts," she grumbled, resting it on the scarecrow's chest.

"I'll go find some water," Syrvic volunteered. This unfortunately caused the cave they were in to go dark again as he took their only source of light away.

"Where are we?" Dena asked wearily, the darkness closing in on her. Quen and Themen quickly told her what happened, including Syrvic's surprise attack on the Wiks in the forest. Dena only half-heard him, though she was gradually becoming more and more aware of the cave and it's damp air.

"We thought you were dead," Quen told her, "I'm so glad we were wrong." Dena mumbled something unintelligible about nightmares and concussions into Quen's chest. Unconsciously, her arm gradually slipped behind the scarecrow's back and held him closer, like he was an anchor for her in the pressing darkness and uncertainty going on. Quen didn't object to this behavior, though it played with his head and a tiny part of him felt even more confused about Dena, while the major part felt warm and relieved that she was awake.

"Where's Tahoe?" the girl asked, still feeling woozy.

"I don't know," Quen answered, "he disappeared soon after Themen took off. I guess he's still out in the woods." Dena's face twisted in pain.

"Oh God," she started to cry, mortified and worn out over what could have happened to the pup. Quen held the girl close.

"Shh, it's okay," he whispered into her hair, "We'll find him. He's a smart dog. He can take care of himself for now." Dena cried a little, her brief tears soaking Quen's tunic. She felt something heavy and furry touch her back.

"I'm sorry Dena," Themen sniffed, feeling ashamed and ready to cry himself. The girl quickly dried her eyes and took a deep, shaky breath before twisting her head around to see Themen. He had his paw on her back.

"It's okay," she whispered briefly before settling back into Quen's arms again. Her tears dried after a short while. For over an hour, the cavern they were in was quiet, save for distant dripping, the wind moaning faintly, and the sound of Dena and Themen's breathing. It was then a voice cut through the darkness.

"Guys!" Syrvic called from one of the tunnels, "You're not going to believe what I found!"

Moments later, Themen followed Syrvic's light down the cave tunnel with Quen and Dena riding on his back. Quen actually had Dena still cradled in one of his arms while his other hand hung onto the griffin's feathers. The girl noted that the scarecrow seemed stronger than he was when she nearly fell over the cliff. Quen had been unable to explain it, merely seeing it as understandable as coming to life out of nowhere. Dena's eyes followed Syrvic's light, and she blinked her widening eyes in amazement.

The group was standing in an enormous room that resembled a temple. Startling to all was a bright beam of sunlight that cut through the dusty gloom like a pale blade, which emanated from a single window cut high on one wall. The sunlight, along with Syrvic's eye-beam, revealed much. All traces of the room having once been a cavern had been erased long ago, leaving clear-cut lines, strange statues (many broken), a crumbling altar of sorts, and a fountain. At the sight of the still-running fountain, Dena finally found the strength to speak up.

"Can you help me over there?" she asked Quen.

"Yes, of course," he replied, eager to assist the girl.

Dena carefully slid off of Themen's back, but her knees buckled and her head spun when her feet hit the floor. Syrvic rushed over and caught her, helping the girl steady herself as Quen dismounted Themen. The scarecrow and the robot supported Dena over to the fountain, helping her kneel down by the low edge. The girl then splashed some of the water in her face. She let out a yelp at how cold it was. It also had a heavy mineral smell to it. But it was wet, nonetheless, and Dena couldn't have been more grateful to wash away some of the dirt she'd accumulated. She half-considered bathing in the fountain, but the water was just too icy. Dena had never enjoyed being dirty, but the lack of rivers near the Golden Path had made it difficult to clean up until now.

She then noticed Quen undo part of his scarf and dip it into the water.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"You missed a spot," he said, and Dena smiled a little as he dabbed and gently wiped her face and cleaned her head wound. The two of them sat down on the fountain's edge while this was going on.

"Hey guys, get a load of this," Themen called from one of the walls.

"Be over in a minute," Dena called back, enjoying Quen's attentiveness towards her. Seeing that he wasn't needed for now, Syrvic went over join the griffin, his single eye blinking in amazement, for the robot was rendered speechless at what he saw.

Dena sobered a little and gazed at the scarecrow's intense blue eyes before forcing herself to look down. He had such gentle, kind, open eyes. She could be hypnotized by those eyes and never put up a fight by choice. It unnerved Dena a little, though her sensibilities and awkward feelings were outshone somewhat by her content at being attended to, as well as knowing her friends had cared enough about her to keep her safe from the Wiks.

"I'd like to thank you, Quen," she said quietly.

"For what?" he murmured, wiping some grime from her cheek.

"It—it's really meant for all of you. I couldn't have better friends if I were to go home right now back to Nebraska."

"Do you have friends there?" the scarecrow asked, dipping his cowl into the water once more before dabbing her face again. She jumped at little at the fresh coldness, though Quen remained gentle about it.

"Yeah, but even now, they couldn't all add up to you three. I don't think I would have gotten this far without you guys." All Quen could do was smile and hug her again, the girl happy at his show of gratitude.

As this was going on, Themen looked curiously over his feathered shoulder at the girl and the scarecrow. He nudged Syrvic.

"What's with those two?" he asked the robot. Syrvic swiveled his head to watch the couple for a moment before turning it back and saying thoughtfully,

"I'm not sure, though I wonder…" The two of them exchanged looks.

To finish her washing, Dena dipped her head into the freezing water and combed her fingers through her matted hair as best as she could, flinching at the various tangles. Once her dark brown mane was wrung out, she shook her head like a dog, causing water droplets to fly about and Quen to laugh and put up his hands before putting his cowl back over his shoulder.

"How do I look?" Dena asked in amusement, sure that she looked silly with her hair in tangled, wet tendrils now.

"Beautiful," Quen said without hesitation. Dena blushed at this and went over to join Themen and Syrvic. The scarecrow followed the girl. Her eyes opened wide at what the robot and griffin were gazing at.

All she could say was "Whoa!"

* * *

**I was right, I **_**do **_**smell a budding relationship in the air, lol. Seems like Dena and Quen are really getting along now. Poor Tahoe. Where did the little pup go? What are Themen and Syrvic looking at? And how are they gonna get out of that cave? More to come next week :) **


	14. Legends & Answers

**Hello again :) Don't worry everyone, I wrote this tri-chapter for a reason, (though I didn't intend for it to become **_**three **_**chapters, lol), and now you're gonna see why. We'll be back on track with the WOZ plotline soon...**

* * *

The temple probably would have been unimpressive in the fact that it had been abandoned for who knows how long; had it not been for the amazing paintings gracing the vast stone walls. They were highly detailed, the colors bright and untouched by time.

"These are amazing," Syrvic was saying as Dena came over.

"What do they mean?" Quen asked. The girl let their conversation wash over her as she examined the paintings herself.

One showed—what she guessed—was an ancient map of Eldan. On top of the map was a see-through, compass-like design with five figures painted along the edges.

"Wait a minute," she said, her eye brows knitting together, "I know that woman. That's Gilda!" Quen, Syrvic, and Themen immediately looked where she was pointing.

"And that's the Black Norn!" the girl continued, pointing again.

A woman in magenta robes with wings stood on the southwestern portion of the compass, as well as a white-skinned, black-clad, sinister-looking woman standing on the northern portion. A similar-looking woman with black skin, white hair, and white robes holding a staff stood on the eastern portion of the compass. Dena could only guess that this was the White Norn she had accidentally killed when she first came to Eldan. She then saw a man in green robes standing at the bottom of the compass. Dena glanced questioningly at Syrvic.

"You think that's the—" Already the robot was shaking his head.

"—No, that has to be the Green Warlock. This temple is very, very old. Whoever did these paintings must have lived back during the end of the Witch War."

"Hmm," Dena thought out loud. She then noticed a final figure on the compass.

"I don't recognize her," the girl said, pointing. The last figure stood on the western side of the compass, a white-haired woman in gold robes.

"Dunderhounds!" Syrvic exclaimed.

"What?" Quen asked, taking in the picture.

"I don't believe it. I thought she was only a legend," the robot went on.

"Who is it?" Dena wanted to know.

"That's the Golden Sorceress!" Syrvic declared, "She was considered a saint in the western Lakelands. People used to bring their children to her to be healed."

"What happened to her?" Dena asked.

"Nobody knows," the robot replied, "she just disappeared, I guess."

"Hey Dena, look at this," Quen called. Dena and Syrvic joined the scarecrow at another set of paintings to the right of the map. This looked like a collage. Images of gnome-like creatures mining jewels and forging on anvils mingled with people in robes being handed diplomas and boxes with pairs of bracelets in them. Dena then looked closer and realized those weren't bracelets, but anklets.

"Wait a minute," the girl murmured in recollection, "Gilda told me about this. She said that the source of a witch's powers came from his or her Anklets." She glanced down to see the rubies glittering around her ankles still.

"What are they doing?" Quen asked.

Dena scrutinized the painting collage once more before she tried to figure it out.

"It looks like a graduation. We do them all the time for kids finishing high school and college back at home. Maybe this is for witches."

"Looks like it," Syrvic supposed, though none of Dena's friends had ever experienced such a high level of education.

"Those things must have been the ones making the Anklets," Quen suggested, pointing at the gnome-like creatures.

"Gilda said that at one point, the Anklets stopped being made," Dena remembered, "though I wonder why these little guys would quit."

Dena went over to another collage, this one brightly colored and making her smile a little. It showed witches and warlocks in many scenes helping people. There were witches healing the sick and injured, overseeing weddings, protecting against monsters, helping farmers grow bountiful crops, tending farm animals, fighting evil witches, speaking in town public debates, bringing water to dry lands, playing with children, and a number of other public works that showed them in an optimistic light. Despite what Gilda had told Dena about all magic-users in Eldan being called witches, Dena didn't see a single pointed hat in the group, though she did see one witch flying on a broomstick. Most wore colorful robes and had brightly-colored hair and eyes. A few even had jade green skin or wings.

"What's this all about?" Quen asked.

"Gilda said that witches were supposed to help in the community. They did it because they could do things the ordinary people couldn't do themselves. I can see why now." Dena answered. Then the girl noticed Themen was nowhere to be seen.

"Themen?" she called. She and the others moved along the wall and found the griffin staring at another collage, a very sad, longing look on his dragon-like face.

"What's wrong, Themen?" Dena asked, placing a hand on his furry shoulder. The griffin merely looked at her and sniffed like he was going to cry again as he looked back at the painting. With Syrvic's light, the girl and her friends were able to take in the next image.

It was another collage, though this one was not as bright or cheery as the first three paintings. It showed a rather old, distinguished-looking gnome creature on his deathbed, surrounded by a ring of gnome creatures in mourning. There was a confusing picture of the gnome creatures still mining, but the smiths in the forge had explosions and death occurring. These pictures mingled with angry, upset, crying, and unhappy graduates only being handed diplomas.

"Who is that guy?" Quen asked, pointing at the old gnome-like creature.

"Haven't a clue," Dena said, though an idea started forming in her mind as she studied the picture. She saw another painting to the right of that, and it was now she started realizing that the artwork in this temple was not merely there to please the eye, but also told a story. This picture was not a collage. It showed two groups of witches. One group wearing glittering Anklets of many colors towered over the group of diminished-looking witches that lacked anklets. The witches with Anklets were haughty and dominating, while the witches without Anklets looked unhappy, resentful, and jealous.

Dena rushed over to the next painting, and was astonished. This one showed her something she hadn't seen since watching the more recent _Harry Potter _films. This painting was much larger than the others, revealing a panorama of an immense, all-out war. Witches and warlocks were flying through the sky and standing out on a battlefield, blasting each other with various colors of magic. Fire, wind, ice, and smoke could be seen everywhere. Many witches and warlocks lay dead and soaked in blood, or were frozen, turned to stone, or were running around on fire. Some were being devoured by monsters, whilst others were riding on monsters and sending legions of unimaginably horrifying beasts at their foes. Dena even saw some of the witches or warlocks standing over dead ones, triumphantly holding Anklets like prizes over their heads. Some of their celebrations were short-lived, with quite a number of triumphant witches and warlocks getting killed just as they were celebrating. Many of the dead witches on the battlefield had shattered Anklets near them as well. It overwhelmed Dena at the magnitude the Witch War must have had on Eldan. The painting alone seemed to capture the horror and terrifying effects the conflict had bestowed upon the average person.

"Gilda wasn't kidding when she said the war almost destroyed Eldan," Dena said weakly, overwhelmed by the picture. Quen, Syrvic, and Themen joined her, equally stunned by the painting.

"I'm so glad none of us were around when this happened," Syrvic murmured.

"So am I," Themen agreed, and he quickly looked away. Dena then happened to notice one of the witches was firing her wand at the ground, causing a huge crack to open and scores of other witches were falling to their deaths.

"Hey! That must be where the Great Crack came from," Dena pointed out, "No wonder the Golden Path couldn't cross it."

"That must mean one of the battles took place around there," Syrvic thought out loud.

Dena eagerly went over to see what the next painting showed. This one was a great deal smaller than the last painting, showing five people standing amidst the bodies on the blood-soaked battlefield. It showed the four witches and the single warlock that had originally been shown on the map of Eldan. Dena was once more surprised to see Gilda, and it was amazing what detail the artist had gone to in showing all five subjects. You could even see the sweet, ditzy smile on Gilda's face, her indigo eyes, and her long pink locks. Dena then realized why the Black and White Norns were called twins. Despite the inverted nature of their coloring, they had the exact same face, same smoldering eyes, same cruel smiles, and same manner of dress. The Green Warlock looked like a pleasant fellow, though there was a sad look in his pine green eyes. It also surprised Dena that not only were his robes green, but his skin and hair were green as well. And finally, there was the Golden Sorceress, with her long white hair, shimmering gold gown and her wise, blue eyes. However, Dena's attention was then caught by something startling. Every single person in the painting had their Anklets showing.

She remembered Gilda's sapphire Anklets, and was not surprised to see the black diamonds around the Black Norn's ankles, though she was curious about the White Norn's blood-red jeweled Anklets, as well as the Green Warlock's emerald Anklets. Her eyes widened when she saw a pair of familiar-looking Anklets on the Golden Sorceress.

"Oh my God," Dena said in alarm, "look what she's wearing!" Quen, Themen, and Syrvic immediately rushed over to peer at the painting.

"Those look like your Anklets," Quen observed.

"I think they are," Dena said, peering down at the glittering rubies.

"Though that doesn't explain how the White Norn got a hold of them," the girl thought out loud. She thought over a few moments more before saying,

"I think I know what's going on here."

"What?" Themen asked. Dena went back to the first collage.

"These little gnome-like creatures must have been the ones to make the Anklets to start with. And these graduates must have been finishing learning how to be witches—wizards…warlocks—_whatever_. Maybe it was a rite of passage or something, like getting your driver's license." Dena's three friends looked at her funny when she said that, but the girl waved off their confusion before going on.

"Gilda said that the source of a witch's power was his or her Anklets. I'm guessing that's how these people—" she gestured to the second collage, "—were able to help…I guess…non-magical people." Dena then went over to the third collage.

"Maybe the only people who knew how to make the Anklets were these little guys. Though from what I see, only this guy had the 'recipe.'" She indicated the old, dignified gnome-creature on his deathbed.

"Maybe he didn't have a chance to tell the others what he knew before he croaked, and things went haywire." She gestured to the younger gnome-creatures and the chaos going on in the workshop.

"I see what you're saying now," Syrvic said in understanding. He came over and scrutinized the painting as well.

"The only source of knowledge in making the witch's Anklets must have been lost, and that would mean no more Anklets for witches who had finished training in their craft." He ran his metal hand over the crying and upset graduates in the painting.

"So that means…they weren't as powerful?" Quen asked, looking at the painting with the two sets of witches.

"Looks like it," Dena confirmed, looking over the picture.

"I'm guessing witches didn't really think they were witches without Anklets to show for it. It must have been very embarrassing at graduation." Her eyes focused on the more powerful witches.

"It also looks like the witches who _had _their Anklets got all high and mighty about it."

"That would explain the Witch War," Syrvic said, heading over towards the enormous painting. Dena nodded soberly.

"Yeah, Gilda told me about that. She said one of the rules stated that if you killed a witch, you'd get the Anklets they were wearing. But she also said it was really hard to kill a witch, and I can see why," the girl said, running her fingers over the witches fighting fiercely in the largest painting.

"I used to hear legends and cautionary tales about the Witch War," Syrvic said, "they're told to children around the fire. I knew the war was terrible, but nobody could ever really tell me why it happened. Now it seems so obvious."

"The story isn't over yet," Dena pointed out. She came over to the painting of the four witches and one warlock.

"These must have been the only survivors of the Witch War. See them standing over the battlefield? Gilda told me that she and the others appointed themselves guardians over parts of Eldan, which explains the map over here." She came back to the first painting and ran her hand over it.

"Though…there's something…missing…"

"Dena, come look at this," Quen called. Dena and Syrvic glanced over to an alcove she hadn't noticed before now. It was no surprise, considering how out-of-the-way it was compared to the main chamber; it was very easy to miss at first glance. Dena and her robot friend found the scarecrow and the griffin looking at some paintings that had been done inside the alcove walls. Compared the large masterpieces in the main chamber, these were smaller and cruder by comparison. However, it became obvious what Dena and her friends were looking at.

It was a panoramic collage that showed a barren wasteland with erupting volcanoes, and two witches fighting in the foreground. One had white skin and black robes, while the other had black skin and white robes. Each used her staff to wield terrible magic spells at one another.

"Those look like the Black and White Norns," Dena observed, peering closer. The Black Norn unleashed fire and terrifying monsters, while the White one had what looked like walking corpses and skeletal monsters an archeologist would have wet himself over.

"Looks like fire isn't the only thing the Black Norn can mess with," Dena said grimly, "And the White Norn seems to have been a necrophiliac."

"A neck-what?" Quen asked.

"She was nuts about the undead," the girl quickly explained.

"Oh!" the scarecrow said in understanding.

"It also seems they weren't very close as sisters," Themen added.

Dena's gaze shifted over to another scene showing the Black Norn blasting the White Norn with her magic, causing the dark red Anklets the latter wore to shatter. The next picture showed a very diminished White Norn kneeling in defeat before her twin, who in turn towered triumphantly over the former witch. However, the next picture was not what the group expected.

This one showed the now diminished White Norn up on a cliff looking down at a woman in golden robes. The Golden Sorceress seemed completely unaware of the White Norn, and was walking serenely by a lake. The last picture showed the White Norn standing triumphantly over the dead body of the Golden Sorceress, who was now buried under a lot of rubble with her feet sticking out. The White Norn was once more great and powerful, and wore what Dena now knew were the same Ruby Anklets she had on that very moment.

"Good God," she murmured.

* * *

**So now we get a better idea of the history behind Eldan. But fear not readers, Eldan still holds many secrets. These are just a few. So now we know why the Witch War started and how the White Norn got the Ruby Anklets. But there are still questions to be answered. Like what happened to Tahoe? And will Dena and her friends ever get out of that cave?**


	15. Breakout

**Hey guys, I'm back :) Time for some more fun in Eldan, lol. Now that we've finished our detour and answered some questions about Eldan's past, it's time to get back on track. **

**Oh, I wanted to clear something up from the last chapter. One of my reviewers pointed out something, so I'll explain. It's quite obvious by now that Dena doesn't exactly know the meaning of every big word she's heard. It's quite common for teenagers not to know the meaning of every sexual term they learn about from classmates at school, though usually they get an idea of its meaning at first. I did not want to specifically state the actual meaning of necrophilia, though it fits the context and teen rating of this fanfic. **

**That aside, let's see what Dena & her friends are up to.

* * *

**

"You know it's funny," Dena said, sitting by the fountain and looking over her anklets, "my birthstone is a ruby."

"Really?" Quen said in surprise. Then he immediately asked,

"What's a birthstone?" Dena wrinkled her nose.

"Just like you to be asking so many questions," she teased the scarecrow, "Every month in the year has a precious jewel assigned to it, and whatever month you were born in is represented by that jewel. I was born in July." As Dena let her inquisitive friend scratch his head over that, she glanced over to see Syrvic staring up at the temple's only window, deep in thought.

"Any ideas on how we're gonna get outta here?" she asked the robot. Syrvic pondered a few minutes more before answering.

"This window leads outside, but we have a problem. It's too small and too high in the wall for us to climb out easily. I could use my laser, but I've never used it on stone before."

"What do you plan to do?" the girl asked.

"Give me a few more minutes," the robot answered.

Dena politely left him alone and wandered over next to the paintings. Although she studied the ancient map of Eldan once more, she couldn't help but be distracted by Themen. The griffin was settled in a corner, looking very depressed. Dena joined him on the cold stone floor.

"Hey there," she said, "you okay?"

"No, I feel horrible," Themen said miserably.

"How come?" the girl asked, running a hand through his feathers.

"Because I ran away and got us in trouble. I'm scared of Wiks. They're mean and have tried to kill me many times. I forgot you were on my back, you're so light. I didn't mean to get us trapped in here, or to hurt your head." Dena smiled sympathetically at him.

"Don't feel bad Themen. We've all had to run or hide from the Wiks at one time or another. I don't blame you for bolting when you heard Syrvic cry 'Wik.' It was an honest mistake."

"How can you be so forgiving?" Themen asked, turning his dragon-like face towards her. The teen shrugged.

"I don't know, but I know that you have a good heart. You want the same thing the rest of us want; to improve yourself and make your life better. Could anybody ask for less?" The griffin shrugged. He still looked depressed.

Dena shuffled closer to the beast's side and said in a softer tone,

"You know, it's okay to be scared sometimes." At this Themen looked at her curiously.

"Some of the greatest heroes were scared stiff when they were saving the world."

"Really?" Themen asked incredulously, his yellow cat eyes wide in amazement. His crest then fell again.

"But those were heroes. I'm no hero." With that he dropped his head between his paws. Dena laughed a little.

"Don't you know that most heroes are just your average Joe that was forced to do something big? Don't sell yourself short Themen. Sometimes the best heroes are as common as the janitor working in the basement." The griffin glanced at her funny for a moment. Dena quickly got back on track.

"The point is, everyone is capable of becoming a hero. Even you. You just have to get some bravery from the Mage and you'll be all set." To Dena's delight, a great toothy smile formed on Themen's face.

"Okay, I think I got it," Syrvic announced. Dena, Quen, and Themen immediately crowded around the robot.

"Can you get us out of here?" the girl asked eagerly.

"I think so…" Syrvic said, though there was a trace of uncertainty in his metallic voice as he spoke, "but you're all gonna have to stay back."

The others backed up against the fountain as the robot positioned himself squarely in front of the window. He pointed his arm at a spot above the glassless porthole and activated the laser. At first Dena wondered if the laser was doing anything, for it seemed all the beam was doing was sitting there on the stone. But then, the gray rock around the laser turned red, and then orange before melting like a miniature volcanic flow. A trickle of molten rock dribbled out of the hole Syrvic was making, and slowly, gradually, the stone wall yielded to the green beam of light.

The whole process was very, very slow. So slow that Dena, Quen, and Themen all got very bored and started muttering among themselves about the wait. But then, something peculiar happened. They heard a crackling noise, and saw fissures forming in the rock around Syrvic's laser. The three also noted the laser had changed color, taking on a more bluish hue. If Dena hadn't known any better, she would have said the robot had turned up the heat on his beam. The cracks in the stone helped speed up Syrvic's work, for they made the rock yield more as he continued to cut a hole large enough for even Themen to squeeze through comfortably.

When the beam met up with its starting cut above the window, a loud, grinding, rumbling ensued. The rough ring of rock Syrvic had cut came sliding out of the wall and crashed heavily on the floor only a few feet in front of him, causing the robot to back off in alarm. Startled by the noise, the others jumped to their feet and stared in amazement.

"Wow!" Dena exclaimed in admiration, "You did it Syrvic!" She rushed over and hugged the stunned robot. He himself had been completely taken aback over his feat, and it took him a second to come back to reality.

Now with the bigger hole, daylight was _pouring _in. Dena could not believe how happy she was over being able to see the outdoors again, and the others were just as excited too.

"Let's get outta here," she said eagerly. However, despite the enlarged window, it was still too high in the wall for even Themen to climb up. Syrvic immediately got to work with Themen to push every heavy piece of free stone they could find in the temple, and even brought in a few boulders from the nearby cavern before a solid mound was set up under the newly made exit. Dena and Quen couldn't do more than watch, since neither of them was strong enough to carry solid enough rocks to build the boost they'd need to climb out. They offered to help, despite this, but Syrvic and Themen were content to carry out the job by themselves. The task was done especially well, considering Themen was feeling better and Syrvic appreciating of the griffin for using his strength for something useful.

Once the scaffolding was set, Quen, Syrvic, and Themen all agreed that Dena go first. She objected, insisting that Syrvic have the honor of going, since he was the one who opened the hole. But the threesome were dead set on helping the girl, so she ended up having them support her up the mound of stone statues, stone slabs, and boulders. Quen was especially attentive, making sure Dena didn't stumble too much or fall down while climbing.

Eager to breathe fresh air again, Dena dug her fingers into the slant of dirt Syrvic had unwittingly cut with his laser before her head emerged from the new hole, the daylight easing off in brightness as she climbed out.

"Oh, I never thought I'd be so happy to be outside again!" the girl told the others as she crawled off to one side and stood up. To her surprise, the only evidence of the cave and its hidden temple that could be seen outside was just a few large humps of gray rock rising up out of the thick, feathery grass that carpeted the ground. For all Dena knew, Eldan had tons of caves beneath her feet, and she'd been totally oblivious!

As her friends climbed out, Dena took in her surroundings. They were still in a woodland, but the trees were not closely packed and didn't have that scary, twisted look to them. The sunlight was freer to filter down to the ground here, and it was then Dena realized something horrible.

Thanks to Themen's running away, there was no telling how far they'd strayed from the Golden Path. For all she knew they were miles away from where they needed to be, and now they were worse off because she couldn't tell which direction was which. The forest looked nearly the same in all directions.

As Syrvic helped the griffin wriggle his large body out of the hole, Quen joined Dena, failing to notice the bewildered look on her face. "Any idea where we are?" the scarecrow asked. The girl bit her lip, not sure how to answer. She brushed some hair out of her face before looking around again.

"About that—"

The girl was cut off when she heard a sound she never thought she'd hear again. She turned to her right, not believing her ears as the sound got closer. It was then she saw something come galloping through the trees.

"_Tahoe!" _Dena screamed with joy, and she took off like a racehorse. Her friends watched in amazement as the little German shepherd puppy practically flew over the feathery grass from the other direction; his little tail waving like an out-of-control metronome and his barks coming out in excited bursts. The girl swept him up in a tight hug, tears of relief and joy streaming down her face. Both of them proceeded to cover each others' faces with kisses, and all the while Dena spoke almost unintelligible words of happiness. Her friends were warmed at the sight of her releasing such unbridled ecstasy, though Syrvic couldn't help but roll his single eye at the cuteness factor.

Dena brought the dog over for her friends to see. The pup was still wound up, causing him to sniff each of her friends excitedly.

"Oh, I'm so glad you're back," Dena gushed to the puppy, "How did you find us? And where have you been?" Tahoe then squirmed to be let down. Reluctantly, the girl let him jump out of her arms, though she freaked when she saw him charge off again.

"Tahoe! Hey! Get back here!" she yelled, chasing after the shepherd. Syrvic, Quen, and Themen followed, the foursome running after the fleet-footed dog.

Tahoe ran on for nearly a quarter of a mile along a seemingly random path among the trees before he finally slowed down to a stop on a ridge. Dena had not expected to run a spontaneous marathon and stopped for a breather near the dog. She leaned on a tree for support while taking in great gasps of air. Syrvic came clanking up, Quen joined Dena, and Themen made the ground shake a bit as he galloped up.

"Tahoe," she gasped irritably, "what on earth—are you—running about—like this—for?" The pup merely wagged his tail and faced something ahead of the group.

"You okay?" Quen asked, putting a hand on the girl's shoulder. Dena took a breath.

"I'm fine," she let out.

"Why are you breathing like that?" The girl was in no mood to answer the scarecrow's question, though she had a huge one hanging in the air for Tahoe. Why in the world had he made them run this hundred-yard dash?

Dena finally got enough air back and joined the pup. When she did, her dark eyes widened.

"Oh my god!" she gasped.

"What?" Themen asked. The others joined her, and each was very surprised in his own way. Only a few yards away below them ran the Golden Path.

"Oh Tahoe," Dena said happily, petting the pup, "what a good boy! You found the road for us!"

**~/~/~/~/~**

The cries of the executed rang through the hot, sulfurous air surrounding the fortress. Slade had been searching for the Black Norn, for she was not in her usual place. He found her standing on a parapet overlooking the prisons and the great courtyard of death alongside it. Her dark robes fluttered in the mild breeze blowing through, her armor glinting in what little light the torches and glowing lava from the nearby volcanoes gave off. Waterless storms crackled in the black sky overhead as the black-clad man joined the Norn.

"The executions are being carried out as you—" Slade was startled when he saw an expression on his mistress's face he'd never seen before. She actually looked…blissful. Content even. Normally she was everything but. The man didn't quite understand what was on her mind until he heard another Wik soldier being slowly deprived of his life. The Norn turned her white face towards him.

"Can you not hear it, Slade? It's music to my ears!" Slade then realized what she was saying.

"Oh yes! You always enjoy watching and listening to executions." He then cocked his half-covered head, still not sure why she was in the mood she was.

"I don't understand Sorceress. The Wik soldiers failed to capture the girl, hence the executions. Surely you are enraged by this." Meanwhile the Black Norn was admiring her staff.

It was an incredible work of art that she had made herself all those centuries ago. It was six feet long, having been carved from a black tree that was thrice cursed. Deadly runic symbols had been carved up and down, weaving the spells required to give it strength. The blood of a thousand sacrificed innocents had been woven into it as well. Even the greatest weapons in all of Eldan could not break it in half. At the top were two widely spaced prongs, made from the claws of incredibly cruel griffins; with two more prongs inside, and two more inside those, causing all six prongs to spread out slightly like fans. Between the inner most prongs was a glowing oblong stone the size of an egg. It glowed bright red-orange, known as the Hellfire Light. The Norn had stolen it long ago from an ancient king she had slaughtered and infused the most terrible magic into it, turning it into one of the more feared stones in Eldan. All in all, the staff was an implement of great and terrible power that was enough to rival what the Black Norn's black diamond anklets could do.

Despite having her eyes on the staff, the witch was perfectly aware of Slade's statement.

"Of _course _it angers me!" she snapped, slamming the butt end of the staff into the ground. But her annoyance instantly faded to a smug expression.

"We cannot let anger get to us. If we are to stop the brat and her little friends from reaching Jaden, it appears we must not be too preemptive. This requires planning, Slade."

With that, the Norn headed into her tower rooms.

"Sorceress, the girl is only a day's ride from Jaden. If anything is to be done to stop her, it must be done now. If your soldiers can't even capture her, and your other spells failed, what is left to stop her? Surely some sort of magic is working against us to keep allowing that girl to remain alive."

"Patience, Slade," the Norn purred as she put some red powders and herbs from a number of poisonous plants into a glass pot on her worktable. She scratched the head of a Pick that was perched on the table as she stirred one of the red powders in the air before it landed in the pot. Curious, Slade came over to watch, his chartreuse eyes almost glowing in the gloom of the tower chamber.

"What is this?" he asked. The witch pulled the stopper off of a black glass bottle, and a deep crimson vapor came out in streams, which she gently blew towards the pot.

"This, my devoted follower, is what's going to stop the brat and her friends…_dead_…in their tracks. All you need is a little poison."

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**And so, Dena's friends are **_**finally**_** out of that cave, Themen's been cheered up, Dena's been reunited with Tahoe, & they all found the Golden Path again. I'd say that puts things back on track, don't you? **

**It also appears the Black Norn is up to no good again, as usual. I think we all know what's coming next, though you all might still be surprised by the coming chapter ;) Keep your eyes open. There's more to come in a few weeks. **

**And everybody, remember to wish your moms a Happy Mother's Day :)**


	16. Deadly Flowers

**Hello! I'm back and ready to tell more of Dena's story in the Land of Eldan. You might think you know what'll happen in this chapter, but guess again, lol ;)

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Dena and her friends had resumed their journey down the Golden Path as if their detour had never happened, though they had quite a lot to talk about.

"…honestly," she was telling Quen, "I knew Tahoe was smart from the beginning, but I never thought he'd pull through like this."

"Geeze, even the dog has a brain," the scarecrow said dejectedly, looking a little down. Dena lent a sympathetic smile.

"Cheer up Quen," she said, slipping her hand into his, "it won't be long. Soon we'll find the Mage, get what we came for, and you'll be the next Einstein before you know it."

"Who's Einstein?" Quen asked, though Dena could see a smile playing at his lips. The girl giggled.

"How did you know he was smart from the beginning?" Syrvic asked.

"Who?" Dena inquired, caught off-guard.

"Tahoe," the robot reminded her.

"Oh, him!" the teen said, laughing a little. She picked up the pup as she walked, scratching behind his ears just the way he liked.

"Well, the day Nana brought him home; he came right over to me, and then sat down beside me like he belonged there. He also seems to understand English perfectly, so it wasn't hard teaching him commands. However, he does get himself into trouble sometimes, don't you Tahoe." She eyed the puppy rather pointedly with mock sternness. The shepherd's nonchalant doggy smile caused Dena's expression to melt back into a grin. She then put Tahoe down and the little pup resumed his trotting alongside the group.

They crested a rounded hill and stopped in surprise at what lay below. The land dipped down into a basin, and by now the trees had thinned out to the point where they were practically in open grasslands again. It was at this point that Dena realized they were no longer in Skerna Forest. But it wasn't the end of the frightening forest that got hers and her friends' attention. It was the spires.

Great, reddish-brown fingers of rock rose up from the land below, rising hundreds, even thousands of feet up in the air. It was like looking at the broken teeth of some gargantuan monster, or towers crudely constructed by giants. They spread out in a great line before the group, with more rock spires marching away towards the north and south. For some reason the land below was stained dark red, and Dena realized it was because it was a vast field of flowers. But her attention remained on the spires.

"What are those?" Dena asked in awe. She had seen their tips hidden in the distant blue haze of the sky for miles since they got out of the cave, but had been unable to see what they were until now.

Syrvic stepped forward, his single green eye trying to take in the scene before him.

"I've heard of these, but I never thought I'd see them."

"What? What?" the others eagerly crowded around him.

"They're called the Witch's Fingers," the robot explained, "I heard a legend from the Witch War about how the Green Warlock set up a barrier of magic around the borders of the Land of the Jadeites. Each one of those rock towers is a prison for an evil witch that was used in the spell."

"You're kidding!" Quen exclaimed.

"Are you telling me that there's an evil witch inside each of those?" Dena said in disbelief. The robot nodded.

"Part of the spell involved trapping them inside, so they'd balance out the good magic in the Green Warlock's barrier."

"That sounds a little creepy," Themen commented.

"That must mean we're almost there," Dena said excitedly, "right Syrvic?" The robot shrugged.

"I don't know how big Jadeite lands are. For all we know the city could still be miles away."

"_Don't _say that Syrvic," the girl urged, "after days and days of walking, I don't wanta _hear_ that there's gonna be _more _travel. Come on; let's go while we still have daylight."

Leading the way, Dena strode purposefully down the hill. However, she became very confused at the bottom of the hill.

"Odd," she said, frowning.

"What?" Themen asked as the group joined her.

"Where did the Path go?" the girl said to no one in particular. It was true. At the bottom of the hill, the Golden Path all but disappeared into the great flowered carpet. Dena glanced back and felt her heart plummet when she saw no sign of the metallic gold road snaking up the hill behind them. In all the times she'd ever looked back, she had always been able to see where she and her friends had come from, and now there was nothing but a rolling green hill with a few trees.

"What the heck?" Quen said, echoing the girl's concern. Syrvic and Themen were equally unsettled by the disappearance of the Path.

"I don't like this," the robot said quietly. Themen looked like he was ready to bolt again. Dena immediately came over and ran her hands along the griffin's quivering feathers.

"Calm down, Themen," she said, trying vainly to soothe the beast.

"If you plan on running away again," Syrvic told the griffin wryly, "try going through there—" he pointed to one of the many breaks in the rock spires, "—then you would at least be going the right direction." Dena shot the robot a dark look.

"You don't have to get snotty, Syrvic," she said critically.

"Well, this time we have no idea where the road went, so I can't even tell him he's gonna get us lost again," the robot rebuked, looking annoyed.

"Look, we can't afford to be arguing like this," Quen stepped in, "if we're gonna get to Jaden, we're not gonna do it standing here bickering. Let's just go."

"Thanks Quen," Dena said, relieved that _somebody _was using their head for once, "but the question is, where should we go?"

"How about up there?" the scarecrow pointed. Each one of the rocky spires was separated by a space about twenty feet wide; large enough for a group of people to walk through. The one Quen was referring to lay dead ahead of them.

"It was right across from where we were when we found the Witch's Fingers." He added.

"Fine, we'll go that way," Dena decided. She boldly went on ahead, walking down into the great basin. The others followed, but not without comments on how nervous they were about the road disappearing.

Dena soon discovered that the Witch's Fingers were farther away than she thought; nearly a mile or two. As she came up to the flower field, she was surprised to find the reason for the coloring was because it was all roses, and she groaned at the thought of what tramping through all those thorns would mean. But something about the flowers made her crouch down at the edge of the field to get a closer look. The roses were tall, reaching up to her hips in height. They grew in tangles, like vines almost, and the blossoms were very big, like the size of baseballs. They were all colored a deep, dark red, almost burgundy, and each petal had white streaks on it. The smell was wonderful, much sweeter than the usual watery smell of roses. Dena couldn't help but admire their beauty, though she was puzzled by something.

"That's odd," she said, turning a leaf over.

"What?" Quen asked.

"These roses don't have thorns," the girl answered, showing him.

"I don't get it," the scarecrow said, peering at another flower.

"All roses have thorns, so they can protect themselves from animals that try to eat them. They're very sharp. Makes gardening with them a nightmare half the time."

"I'd have to agree," Syrvic put in, "I once fell off a tree into a rosebush when I was human, and it was very painful. To this day I won't give a girlfriend roses as a gift. Who ever heard of a rose without thorns?"

"I know," Dena said, looking around warily. She then scooped up Tahoe and picked her way into the field. Uneasy as the girl was, she couldn't bring herself to damage the lovely blossoms too much.

"You think the Black Norn might be up to something?" she asked the others as they made their way among the roses.

"Who knows," Quen said, "she could attack at any time. Though I have yet to see any monsters, evil trees, or…fire dogs."

"Don't forget Wiks," Syrvic added darkly.

"Yeah, them too," the scarecrow agreed.

Talkative as the others were, Themen's nerves were as taut as a piano string. The griffin did not like this place at all and couldn't figure out why, which made his large heart beat faster than usual. Even the smell of the roses couldn't soothe him, and they were the best-smelling flowers he'd ever seen.

A cry then resounded off one of the towering Witch's Fingers, causing everyone to flick their heads in that direction. Everyone except Themen. The noise was enough to cause the griffin to tear off towards the gap in the rock spires.

"Themen!" Dena screamed, running after him.

"Dammit! I _knew _he'd do this!" Syrvic cussed as he and Quen followed suite. They soon passed Dena and attempted to catch up with the griffin. Quen was quickly in the lead, and they were halfway through the flower field when he suddenly stumbled and fell.

"Quen!" Dena cried out, rushing over to him. Themen screeched to a halt and rushed back over. Soon everyone was crowded around the scarecrow.

She put down Tahoe and helped Quen up.

"You okay?" the girl asked him worriedly. She saw some of his straw had fallen out and helped him stuff it back in. Quen merely smiled,

"It's no problem, I'm all here." Though the group noticed a vine wrapped around his ankle. Quen shrugged and bent down to unwrap it. Like a thin bullwhip, another vine suddenly snapped around his wrist.

"What the—" the scarecrow said in surprise, before a third vine wrapped around Syrvic's leg.

"Hey!" the robot started, pulling his leg and ripping the vine away. Dena felt something snap onto her arm and hiss, and she looked down to see half a dozen roses squeezing her arm and reaching towards her, each now sporting a toothy maw within the petals.

"_Holy crap!_" she shrieked, wrenching her arm away.

_"Run!" _Syrvic yelled. Themen didn't need to be told twice, and he was already ahead of them as they all took off.

The entire field seethed to life, with roses biting at the group whenever they could, and vines whipping out to try and ensnare the foursome as much as possible. Every few seconds the group had to pull and yank themselves out of the vines as quickly as possible. To make matters worse, the demonic roses grew razor sharp thorns right before their eyes. Dena and Themen soon could feel pinpricks every time they got ensnared, and whenever they pulled the vines off, it left streaks of blood on their skin. Quen got new holes and tears in his clothes, and Syrvic remained his usual stainless steel self, though he attempted to use his laser to cut a path for them. This backfired, however, because every time he roasted ten flowers, twenty would show up to replace them.

At one point, the roses seemed to sense that the group was getting closer to escaping, and they grew bolder. Tahoe had been running and slipping past the vines as easily as a rabbit eluding its hunter, but then Dena heard the pup yelp and squeal in pain.

"Tahoe!" she cried, knowing right then the vines had gotten him, and she instinctively ran back to rescue the pup.

"Dena, don't!" Quen urged. Almost immediately an explosion of vines flew out of the field and wrapped around every one of his limbs, causing the scarecrow to topple over into the writhing mass of roses. Dena flicked her head behind her and saw what happened.

"Quen!" she screamed, rushing over to him. She didn't have time to grab her Swiss army knife, so she just started ripping the vines off as carefully as she could. Though the thorns hurt, the girl was now so pumped full of adrenaline she barely felt the pain, though she couldn't help but notice her hands were getting sluggish.

Themen and Syrvic heard Dena screaming, but when they too rushed over, the two of them got snared by the roses' trap as well, both toppling over with huge thuds. The girl looked up in horror to see her friends struggling to get free, and she desperately tried ripping the vines off of Quen.

"Dena, go on, get out of here. It's you she wants, not us."

"I'm not leaving you guys here," the girl insisted, ripping another vine off. She slapped away at the hissing flowers as they bit at her.

Then in one violent lunge, several dozen vines threw themselves around Dena's arms, legs, and neck and pulled her to the ground. She choked and struggled to rip one of the vines off her throat, but it was getting more and more difficult. She was getting so sleepy, and yet she fought hard. _It's poison, it must be, _the girl thought randomly as she pulled and clawed. More vines wrapped around her waist, while still more pinned her to the ground, and various roses grabbed at her hair. Her friends weren't much better, though only Themen and Tahoe were feeling the poison besides her. Quen couldn't fight for too long because his strength could only hold out for so long. Syrvic and Themen were practically _buried _in the thorny, dark green vines, both of them resembling greenish mummies of themselves. And yet they struggled on. Themen was fighting especially hard, despite the poison working into his system.

Finally, Syrvic got an idea.

"Help!" the robot cried, cranking up the volume of his voice, "Somebody! Help!"

"It's no use," Quen called from his vine-covered prison, "Nobody's gonna hear you." The robot ignored him and kept calling for help. Meanwhile, Dena was slipping deeper and deeper down what felt like a dark well. Hearing Syrvic's shouting was like listening at the bottom of a pool. However, she vaguely got the gist of what he was doing. "Come on," she moaned in a bare whisper among the toxic roses and vines, "Somebody please, help us!" Moments later, she slipped away into darkness.

**~/~/~/~/~**

There was movement at the edge of the vast field of roses. A shepherd had appeared, leading its flock. However, something was very peculiar about this shepherd. It wore a long, dark magenta cloak with a deep hood hiding its face; and it carried a long silver staff. And it was not sheep the shepherd led, but a band of amazingly beautiful unipegs. There were four, and each had a shimmery coat that changed color every few minutes. They moved with a grace equal to gazelles, and they pawed eagerly at the ground.

The shepherd surveyed the great carpet of deadly flowers and sighted four dark shapes among the writhing, hissing roses. She then lightly tapped each unipeg on the horn with her staff.

"Tut, tut, off you go. You know what to do," she told the foursome. The unipegs neighed with delight and took off in the direction the shepherd indicated with her silver staff.

She then watched for a moment, her indigo eyes sparkling as she smiled with pleasure under the hood. Gilda then vanished in a violet flash of light.

**~/~/~/~/~**

The unipegs glided into the rose field without fear, the hissing plants shrinking away in terror at their pure, glowing auras. Every plant they touched withered and died, and soon the brownness was spreading away from their silver hooves among the vast mess of thorny vines and saw-toothed flowers. It wasn't long before they reached the four masses of vines. Each unipeg carved out an opening in the plants as they approached, each one coming over to a single mass of vines.

A female came over and found Dena easily for she was one of the least-wrapped, her skin taking on a sickly green hue as she slept a death sleep. The unipeg touched the vines around the girl's chest with her crystal horn, and then touched her forehead. A brown circle spread out from where the horn touched the vines, and soon they withered and died, loosening their grip on the girl. A second circle of healthy skin spread from her forehead and swept down her body, the magic eliminating the poison that gripped her.

Within moments, Dena's dark eyes fluttered open, and she felt like she'd just gotten up from a good sleep. She looked around, surprised to find the dead vines lying on her, and the flowers that had tried eating her minutes before now brown and dead. She slowly sat up and pulled off the vines, each crumbling into mulch as she did so. The girl simply could not figure out what had happened, until she saw the unipeg.

It was gorgeous, and though she was confused, considering she'd never seen a horned pegasus before, it was like a fairy-tale had come out of the nightmare that surrounded her only moments before. She couldn't help but look into the unipeg's dark blue eyes and fall in love with it.

"Where did you come from, sweetie?" she whispered, stroking the creature's muzzle.

"Five more minutes mom, please?" she heard Themen murmur from nearby. She looked over and couldn't help laughing. A second unipeg had liberated the vines and poison from the griffin's system, though he remained groggy and had no idea the unipeg was kissing his furry, dragon-like face. Two more were helping Syrvic and Quen get up.

"You guys okay?" Dena asked. As if in answer, the two of them came over and helped her to her feet.

"Where did these…horses…come from?" Quen asked in confusion.

"I don't know, but look," Dena pointed. The flowers were dying all over the place, all of them shriveling up and turning brown, looking like a dead garden in autumn.

"You think they did all that?" Syrvic asked in awe.

"Whatever they are, they're just what we needed," Dena said, stroking her unipeg on the head. She then remembered.

"Tahoe!" The girl rushed over to where she last remembered hearing him, though some of the remaining roses at the edge of the dying swath hissed at her. She stopped in her tracks, not wanting to get trapped again, but the unipeg's calm approach caused the nasty flowers to wither away and die before her eyes.

"So it _was _you!" she said to the unipeg, and the lovely beast nodded. The two of them soon found the mass of vines encasing Tahoe, and the unipeg soon had the puppy freed. Dena already had him in her arms as he woke up from the fading poison.

"Oh my sweet doggy, you okay?" she cooed, the German shepherd licking her chin in reply.

Soon she rejoined Quen and Syrvic, and the three of them went over to finish waking up Themen.

"Come on, you big lug, up and at 'em." The robot nudged him. Themen's yellow eyes fluttered open as he sat up, shaking the sleep from his head.

"Since when did we bring dates to the prom?" he asked, glancing around at the unipegs. Dena playfully slapped him on the shoulder.

"They saved our lives you goober, be grateful," she teased.

Dena then did a double-take when she saw a glint of gold.

"Guys! Look!" she exclaimed, for as the deadly roses died away, dozens dissolved to reveal the Golden Path once more, which had been nearly under their feet all along.

"Dunderhounds! It must have been an illusion!" Syrvic thought out loud, glancing around.

Like Quen had guessed, it passed straight through the field and went on through the pass between the nearest pair of Witch's Fingers. Dena finally remembered the original plan, and also got an idea.

"Hey, can you and your friends take us to Jaden?" she asked her unipeg. The creature nodded and lowered itself to the ground.

"Oh thank you!" Dena was close to tears, "You have no idea how long we've traveled." She picked up Tahoe and climbed onto the lovely horse's back, its shimmery, multi-hued coat feeling downy under her legs. Taking its cue from the first, two of the unipegs lowered themselves so Quen and Syrvic could climb on, whilst the fourth simply made Themen stand up. Syrvic mounted his own unipeg, but Quen didn't. Instead he came over and climbed up behind Dena on her mount.

"I'd rather ride with you," he told her with a smile.

"Okay," Dena laughed. The girl was a bit surprised, but liked having him there. Her skin tingled as he wrapped his arms around her waist and hung on tight. Quen's unipeg saw this and merely went over to join Themen.

"You ready to fly everybody?" Dena asked, her heart quickening with excitement. She heard "yes" from everybody but Themen. He quickly objected.

"Why not?" she asked, her crest already falling.

"I'm scared of heights," he whimpered, "and I don't know how to fly."

"You're kidding!" Dena said in surprise, "You got those big old wings and you don't know how to fly? What's the matter with you?" Themen looked very embarrassed at this, so Dena just waved it off. No more gabbing.

"Fine," she declared, "we'll go by land. Let's ride!" With that, the unipegs kicked into high gear and took off through the gap between the Witch's Fingers, their silvery hooves just barely touching the ground.

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**Bet you guys will never think about roses the same way again, lol. It also looks like Gilda came through as well :) Who needs snow to kill evil flowers when you've got unipegs? **

**Some people look at the poppies causing Dorothy to fall asleep in the movie as a metaphor for drugs. After all, opium comes from poppy seeds and makes people sleepy; though in the case of the story, it was a magical spell. **

**It took 20 men to plant 40,000 artificial flowers into the "field." (You gotta ask yourself; do those flowers look like paper tulips or what?) Despite Dorothy and her friends traveling outdoors in the Land of Oz, they actually filmed most of the 1939 film indoors on a closed set. **

**Glad to have shared this with you guys :) As I have told some of my reviewers, this story's too fun to abandon, so don't worry if I don't post for a few weeks at a time. There's more to come as we get closer and closer to the Mage of Eldan. **


	17. The City of Jade

**I apologize for not posting in a month :( I never expected to get this far into this story, and it's a little taxing to write, but I managed to come up with some fun ideas. I hope you're all enjoying this story, and I greatly appreciate your reviews. Keep them coming, I like hearing what you all have to say :D This chapter's a little longer than I expected, but it's well worth writing. Enjoy :) **

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To say that the Black Norn was infuriated by the recent turn of events was putting it mildly.

A squadron of mounted Wiks had been assembled for her, and this time she was going to lead in the capture. However, they would not be mounted on the panther-like creatures she typically had her cavalry ride. The Land of the Jadeites was far from her realm, and the only way to reach anywhere in Eldan quickly was to fly. Therefore, the Black Norn had assembled a group of flying beasts that could only be described as clouds of black smoke that vaguely resembled very ugly, very frightening dragons. She called them Night-Catchers.

The Black Norn had watched the crystal sphere in her workroom with anticipation, waiting for the moment to strike, and she glowed with fiery pleasure at watching Dena and her friends get captured by the lethal roses she'd planted. A handler came in at just the right moment.

"The squadron is ready, Sorceress," the handler informed her.

"_Yes!_" the Black Norn said triumphantly, "Finally I shall get those Ruby Anklets and give Eldan its what-for! Slade, guard the fortress. We shall not be long in retrieving the wretch." With a proud beat in her step, she headed towards the large stone balcony where her squad hovered in wait.

"Sorceress!" Slade suddenly yelled. The Norn turned quickly, her pale face now looking annoyed.

"What is it, Slade?" she demanded.

"My queen, you must see this, now!" Slade urged, never taking his chartreuse eyes off the sphere. The witch reluctantly stomped over to see what could possibly have captured his attention. She was shocked to see the shepherd in magenta robes and the unipegs, destroying her flowers as they went and releasing her quarry.

"That wench!" the Norn shrieked, "How _dare _she use Horses of a Different Color on my roses!" She let out an almost animal-like snarl, and a horrible tremor rocked the earth for miles around the fortress, though only for a few seconds.

"The moment I kill that brat with those Anklets, Gilda is the _first _to go!"

Slade watched as she got up and stormed out onto the balcony. He resisted the urge to inquire what the Norn was going to do, though he couldn't be sure. The girl and her friends were now free and galloping at top speed towards the capital of the Jadeite lands, the capital of Eldan itself.

The riders had heard everything and were now uncertain as to what their mission was. The captain watched the Black Norn furiously mount the largest of the Night-Catchers and risked asking,

"Orders, Sorceress?"

"To Jaden, _now!_" the witch said instantly. The riders were off in a second, the lot of them a collection of smoky streaks in the already dark sky.

**~/~/~/~/~**

Dena and her friends rode through the afternoon, the sun on their backs and the green land rolling before them. The unipegs galloped so smoothly that their mounts (save for Themen) barely registered the usual jerking back and forth that horseback riders felt. Themen, on the other hand, galloped between his two lovely equine escorts, the shimmering of his feathers a dark contrast to their pale, opalescent coats.

Dena kept Tahoe safely secure in her lap, with one arm around him and her other hand gripping her unipeg's mane. She was grateful that the little pup didn't feel the urge to jump off, considering she had a feeling he wouldn't have been able to keep up with the enchanted horses she and her friends rode.

Quen kept his straw-stuffed arms around Dena's waist, and having him riding with her was a comfort. She didn't mind at all having him close, and at times she couldn't help but smile when he'd put his burlap chin on her shoulder and hold her more securely. It made waves of warmth pass through her at his presence.

The Land of the Jadeites was very hilly and covered in thick, turquoise grass that rippled in waves from the cool breezes. Trees resembling teal feather-dusters and giant bonsais also dotted the landscape. Some of the hills were high and craggy, despite the abundance of grass, whilst others were round and gently rolling. The line of Witch's Fingers disappeared into the distance behind them as the group made their way past the rivers and hills that dominated the landscape.

It was then that Dena saw something she had hardly seen at all in the five days she'd been in Eldan: civilization. It was very gradual at first, with strange creatures looking across between cows and giant deer grazing in odd-shaped farm fields as they passed. Then Dena saw roads snaking through the hills, though they were hard to see at first because they were made of green stone.

Even as she and her friends galloped by on the Golden Path, she saw what looked like people traveling on the roads, though she had difficulty understanding what she was looking at. Some people looked like they were driving horse-free carriages, but the vehicles had no wheels. She also saw people riding on what resembled very shiny, slightly jerky-looking horses and other strange, long-legged beasts of burden. Some people even rode what looked like motorcycles, but again they had to wheels. All the vehicles looked like they were…_floating_. Many of the people were too far away for Dena to make out any details, though she did get to see the towns.

The group passed by a number of them, though the buildings looked very weird. It was like looking at masses of green pipe-organs without the piano at the bottom, and nobody could tell if some of the structures were sculptures or extremely elaborate buildings the local people used. It was difficult to tell what the people in general looked like, considering few of them were using roads near the Golden Path at the time Dena and her friends were traveling, though the girl started feeling an urge to go talk with them. Despite the pleasant and sometimes colorful company of her friends, Dena did miss being around normal human beings. Surely there were _some _people living in Eldan that didn't live in cornfields, have steel skin, or look like mythical beasts.

_Ah, I'll just save it for Jaden, _the girl waved off in her head, _everything'll be better once we get there_.

It was then Dena noticed something up in the sky, but it was very faint and hidden in the distant blue mist. She and her friends couldn't tell what it was until the unipegs slowed down and halted at the crest of a hill.

"Why in the Mage's name are they stopping?" Syrvic asked.

"Oh…my…God…" Dena breathed, her dark eyes wide at what lay before them.

"Whoa," Themen said, his toothy mouth hanging open. Quen was totally speechless, as was Syrvic.

The sight that lay before them could only be described as breathtaking. The city stood next to a bay of sapphire blue waters, its jade green spires glistening in the sun. No structure in all of Eldan could compare to this great city, and it towered above everything else in the great hilly land around it. But its height was not what caught the peoples' eye; it was the fact that part of the metropolis _floated_. And it floated in three parts.

The bottom third of the city resembled a broad crown of green towers sitting firmly on the ground by the bay. A central set of towers had what could only be described as a braid of glowing green energy cables coming out of them and passing up into the next level of the city.

The second portion was like a slightly smaller crown of green spires, floating over two thousand feet up in the air over the base city. It was not solid in the center like the lower city, but had various structures resembling flying buttresses, sky bridges, and hanging towers suspended in cables criss-crossing the central area. The glowing cables from the ground-level city flowed up into a group of huge, hanging towers in the very middle of the second-level city. They came out the tops of the hanging towers and continued up towards the topmost city.

The third piece of the city was a mass of tall, flute-like green towers with a tapering base that hovered over the second portion, and it had to be floating at nearly seven thousand feet over the ground. The glowing green cables from the lower two cities ended in the bottom tapering portion of the top city.

The upper levels of the city didn't remain still in their positions either. Every once in a while they'd slowly drift around. The glowing braid of energy cables prevented too much drifting, and it was quite obvious to the average observer that they anchored both upper cities to the ground-level one.

The top portion of the city boasted a most unusual feature; a great beam of jade green light was coming out of the tallest towers in the center, and going straight up into the infinite blue sky, no doubt a massively powerful form of magic to say the least.

"Jiminy Horcromps," Syrvic let out, breaking the awe that enthralled the others. Now Dena knew why the unipegs had stopped. Somehow they'd known that she and her friends would need a moment to take in what could only be the City of Jaden. And the lot of them had been thoroughly stunned.

"It's beautiful," Dena said, gazing up at the tall green towers.

"I'll say," Quen agreed, his eyes following the towers up until he nearly fell off the unipeg. Dena had to grab the scarecrow to steady him.

"How does it do that?" Themen asked, looking up and then down again to fight the wave of nausea that passed through him.

"What, float?" Dena asked.

"Yeah," the griffin said quietly.

"I don't know, magic?" the girl supposed.

"Thank you, Captain Obvious," Syrvic said wryly, though she could see amusement on his metal face and giggled. Her attention then returned to the city before them.

"Can you imagine what the Mage must be like? To live in a city like that?"

"He must be very powerful," Quen commented, looking up again. By now it seemed that everyone had had their fill of the sightseeing.

"Come on guys, let's go," Dena prompted, starting up her winged unicorn again.

The unipegs picked up the pace, heading straight towards Jaden. The Golden Path had gone on to form a great thin ring of solid gold pavement around the entire circumference of the base city, though it now was no longer needed. The closer the group got, the more complex the green city became. Dena couldn't help but notice a lot of tiny, black objects that zoomed up and down and between the floating cities and the base city, like thousands of tiny insects. It made her wonder what they were, for she could not tell at this distance.

Closer up, traffic gradually became heavier and heavier, with people on all modes of transport (including a few Dena had not expected) going in and out of the great green gates of the base city. The brunette soon realized that her eyes had not been lying to her when she saw the people off in the distance before. They _were _driving vehicles that floated! All were steam-powered and had rivets all over the colorful variety of metal plating, making the girl feel as if she'd traveled into a Jules Verne novel all of a sudden. What was even stranger were the unusual creatures some of the people were riding. Very few actually rode on living horses or floating speed-bikes. Some rode on robotic horses made of silver, brass, or bronze-colored metal; some people were mounted on large, dinosaur-like reptiles, and some people were actually riding on creatures that resembled hairless, green-skinned deer with super-long legs that made them walk expertly among the crowds of people on foot.

The variety of people made Dena's eyes widen with fascination, despite how rude it was to stare at them. There were people with butterfly wings and brightly colored hair like Gilda (though almost none of them were pink), there were ordinary humans, people with yellow skin and fiery red hair, some with glittery skin and spiky hair, and some were covered in bright tattoos; but the majority of people had rich, jade green skin, with green hair and eyes to match.

"Why do these people have green skin?" Dena asked, though she had flashbacks of the Green Warlock on her mind now.

"They're Jadeites," Syrvic told her, "this is their country. They're said to be the most trustworthy people in all of Eldan, and that's why their capital was chosen to be the one and only capital for the whole land. There's a legend I heard once about it…" his voice was cut off when they heard a zooming noise overhead.

"What's that? What's going on?" Themen cried out in alarm, and immediately threw himself to the ground, covering his dragon-like head. The others stopped and looked up; now able to see the explanation for the "insects" they'd witnessed buzzing around the city at a distance.

They weren't insects at all, but what could only be described as flying sky-buses. There were hundreds of them, rising up from platforms around the edges of all three city portions, and flying about on various errands. Others flew over the base city or up underneath the higher cities, and some were coming in for a vertical landing at the stations. Many looked like gondolas somebody had stolen from the bottoms of blimps, whilst others looked like flying boats with large windows for the passengers to watch out from. Some looked like sailing ships with torpedo-shaped balloons instead of sails, and some vehicles didn't even have roofs, but had open decks for the passengers to look out of while being ferried from one city level to the next. Quite a number were featureless vehicles with no windows at all. Dena hadn't a clue what they were for, but the aerial traffic was amazing the look at up close.

"Where are we gonna find the Mage in all this?" Quen asked, his eyes taking in the sights as eagerly as everyone else.

"I don't know…" Dena said vaguely, mesmerized by everything around her. She then remembered Themen and looked down to see him peeking through his paws, wondering if he were still in danger. He was drawing stares from the masses of people walking, riding, and driving by.

"Hey guys, let's go over to the stations, we're blocking traffic," Dena declared, steering her unipeg towards the airship platforms. The two that had been traveling with Themen gently nudged him to his feet and followed the others.

The traffic of people near the stations was almost as thick as the vertical and aerial traffic going on above them. It was very noisy with all the hustle and bustle of people, vehicles, trumpeting mounts, pets, and the roaring engines of airships. Dena managed to go towards a less-crowded area and found a number of empty platforms set up in a triangle. Each empty platform had a rather antique-looking sign with digital green letters stating when the next airships would arrive to pick up passengers. A tall, holographic billboard stated the arrival and departure schedules of the whole area, and Dena got flashbacks of the airport she'd traveled in to get to Nebraska. It wouldn't be too long now before she would be doing that again, only not by plane.

At the tip of the triangle was a green, roofless airship parked on a lone platform. Dena and her friends took delight in a transport being so conveniently available, considering how empty the area was.

"Do you think we'll need one of these to find the Mage?" Quen asked as they approached.

"They're taxis, Quen," the girl explained, "even if we don't have to go up, whoever drives it can take us to the Mage."

"Seems like a simple enough plan," Syrvic agreed, "though I'm wondering if we'll have to pay a fee."

"Just let me do the talking," Dena said, a plan already forming in her head.

The platform had a small, open-air shelter next to the entrance ramp, and inside was a fat Jadeite dressed in a tunic that looked like a bunch of triangular-shaped patches sewn crazily together. He sat lazily with his feet up on a desk, reading what looked like a newspaper printed with green writing.

The moment Dena and her friends dismounted the unipegs, the horned pegasii suddenly took off.

"Hey, get back here!" the girl shouted, but even as she did so, she was shocked to see the unipegs take off into the sky and shimmer out of sight. They were no more there than a wisp of smoke now.

"Gee, what a way to say goodbye," Themen said dejectedly, "I didn't even get to go on a first date." Dena looked at him with a, you-gotta-be-kidding expression before saying,

"I think they've done their job. Now it's time we did ours. Come on." She put Tahoe down, who was very grateful to finally stretch his puppy legs, and followed his owner up the ramp.

"Pardon me," Dena greeted the Jadeite, knocking on one of the shelter's posts, "we're looking for the Mage, can you help us?"

"Beat it," the green man said rudely, not even looking at her. Dena frowned, as did her friends.

"'Scuse me?" she said with slight annoyance.

"You heard me," the Jadeite said, "beat it. I'm closed."

"I didn't even ask for a ride, I need information." Now it was the operator's turn to get annoyed.

"Can't you read? I got a big-ass sign right in front of you and you can't even pay attention!"

"What sign?" Quen demanded, disliking how rude the Jadeite was being to Dena. The green-skinned man let out an angry sigh and threw down his paper.

"Dad-blammed, stupid thing. Even the _notice_ breaks down," he muttered irritably. He went over to what looked like a dark green box and banged on it once with his fist. The box activated and a set of green digital letters appeared, reading

"_Platform 39 closed, waiting for maintenance. Please use other transports._"

"There, you see! Now go away." He declared, sitting back down at his desk.

However, Dena was not to be deterred.

She slammed a hand down on his paper before he could read it again and looked him straight in the eye.

"Just tell us where the Mage is, okay?" The Jadeite looked at her like she was crazy.

"You're joking right?"

"No," the girl said flatly. The man started to laugh mockingly.

"Everybody and his _horse_ knows where the Great Mage is!" All of a sudden he had Syrvic's wrist in his face, powering up to unleash the green laser within.

"Listen pal," the robot said with disgust, "we've had enough of your crap. Tell us where the Mage is and we'll just take your ship and be on our way."

"Go ahead," the Jadeite said bitterly, "it's not working anyway."

Dena glanced over to the airship and back.

"Is that why you're not doing anything? Your ship is broken?"

"You're darn_ tootin'_ I'm mad about it!" the Jadeite snapped, "Normally I enjoy this job, but early this morning some stupid yokel went joy-riding, against the law I might add, and bangs into the nose of my ship! Next thing I know, it conks out the _moment_ I land, it won't start up, and I've been sitting here for six hours waiting for somebody to come and fix it! I've sent notice out _three_ _times _and _still _nobody comes. So you can guess why I'm nobody's sweetheart right now."

"I'm sorry," Dena said quietly, feeling for the pilot now. Syrvic reluctantly withdrew his laser and went over to the airship.

"I wish we could help you, but I don't know anything about fixing engines, much less something like that," the girl said apologetically.

It was now the Jadeite softened a little bit and took in the group that had come to bother him. A disheveled, dark-haired girl in a short, dirty, ragged blue dress and wearing a very small knapsack; a small, rather weird-looking furry animal; a robot; a funny-looking man in ragged clothes; and a very large, very bewildered-looking griffin. The pilot had seen a number of strange people in his time of living in Jaden, but this was the very first time he'd seen such a mixed-up group before.

"Where are all of you from, anyway? The Heartlands? Lake Country?"

"I'm actually from Nebraska," Dena explained, "and I'm going to see the Mage because he's the only one who can take me home. My friends also need to see him. Gilda, the Rosy Faery of the Southwest said the Mage of Eldan could help us."

"You're kidding!" the Jadeite said in amazement, "A witch sent you?"

"Yep," Dena nodded.

"She also gave Dena some Anklets as a present, see?" Quen added. Dena rolled her eyes.

"Show him, Dena," the scarecrow urged. The girl let out a sigh and sat down on the side of the desk. She then lifted up both legs together so the Jadeite could clearly see the ruby bracelets glittering around her ankles. The green man nearly had a heart-attack.

"Great gem's-warts!" the guy cried out, thumping his chest to make sure he was breathing.

"What?" Dena asked, confused. The Jadeite looked at her in shock and mild terror.

"I didn't realize—I mean to say—I meant no disrespect ma'am. I didn't know you were a witch." The girl felt like telling him otherwise, but a look from Quen made her realize she could use this to her advantage.

"A witch on my platform!" the Jade-skinned man exclaimed with delight. Then he began to despair,

"And at the worst time! Oh, my boss is gonna hate me for this!"

"Wait!" Dena told him, "Maybe we could help each other. If we find some way to fix that ship of yours, could you take us to the Mage?"

"Yes!...If you can," the pilot told her.

Meanwhile, Syrvic had been examining the ship and seeing through the outer hull to examine the engine. The others were gathering around as he carefully pried open the front hood.

"You think you can fix it?" Dena asked the robot.

"Don't bother me right now," the robot said from inside the hood. Quen took Dena's hand, hoping their galvanized friend knew what he was doing. Miraculously, the robot was only in there for five minutes before the engine suddenly roared to life. The ship let out steam from a pipe in the back and lifted slightly from the platform.

"Whoa!" Dena and the others said with amazement. Syrvic closed the hood and dusted his hands off.

"Several wires were burned and there was a disconnected hose, but it's all fixed now. Fire her up!"

"Yes!" Dena said victoriously. The Jadeite smiled broadly and shook Syrvic's steel hand.

"Thank you so much!" he said, "You guys just made my day!" With that he opened a door on the side and extended a ramp onto the platform. Dena picked up Tahoe and was about to get on, when Quen stopped her.

"Allow me," he said courteously.

"Oh, thank you," Dena laughed as the scarecrow put on gentlemanly airs and led her up into the ship. Syrvic followed as well, and both saw to it that she had the best seat in the passenger area before sitting down on either side. Dena could only giggle at their show of politeness.

"How did you do that Syrvic?" the girl asked him, "I thought you were just a lumberjack." The robot shrugged.

"I don't know. Something in my head showed me how to fix the engine. I can't really explain."

"Hmm," Dena said thoughtfully, "maybe you have a computer inside your head as well as your mind; and the guy who built your body programmed it to know how to fix stuff." Syrvic looked very strangely at her.

"Sometimes I think you know more about the technology in my body than I do." He commented.

"Yeah, you could say that," Dena said cryptically, winking at him.

The Jadeite eagerly got into the pilot's chair and strapped in, checking the dashboard controls. However, the airship tipped slightly as an uncertain Themen climbed on.

"So can you take us to the Mage?" Dena asked their pilot.

"I sure can," the man said as he put on a helmet and green goggles, "he lives in the Verdant Palace at Top Level. It's very hard to miss."

"Wait a sec," Themen said, putting up a clawed paw, "we're going up in this thing?"

"Yeah, Themen," Dena stated, "up to the top part of the city we saw earlier."

"Oh crappers," the griffin moaned, glancing skyward. His large furry chest was already heaving with hyperventilation. He started to bolt from the craft, when Syrvic took a wild leap and pinned the big furball down on the ramp. The entire airship jostled wildly and the pilot turned around in alarm.

"What in the Mage's Name is going on?" he shouted. Dena and Quen hung on for dear life as the ship teetered from side to side from the robot and griffin's wrestling.

"I'm not going up! You can't make me! I can't handle heights guys, I throw up!" the griffin protested. However, Syrvic was an even match for Themen's strength.

"Not this time, pal!" he grunted, "We've come too far to let your stupid irrational fears stop us. Last time I checked, there aren't any elevators to take us up. This is the only way. If I could knock your thick skull out, I would, and we'd wake you up at the top." That was when an invisible light bulb clicked over Dena's head.

She carefully climbed over next to the ramp.

"Themen! Calm down! I got an idea, but can you trust me?" The griffin stopped fighting Syrvic for a moment and looked in confusion at her.

"What's the idea?"

"I'm not gonna hurl, I'm not gonna hurl, I'm _not _gonna hurl," he was chanting quietly to himself a few minutes later as they became airborne. Dena had convinced Themen to lie down on the open floor in the middle of the passenger area and cover his eyes. Now all the griffin had to do was convince himself he was still on solid ground, even though his ears and nose screamed to him that they weren't.

Meanwhile, Dena and the others were enjoying the ride. If Jaden had looked spectacular from a distance, it was even more amazing up close. There were airships everywhere, making Dena feel like a kite in the midst of dozens of others during a festival. Never in her life had she traveled in a vehicle that could float, much less flown through a city that could. Another thing that impressed her was the size of the cities themselves. The bottom one alone could compete with downtown Manhattan, though the upper levels were only slightly smaller.

The Jadeite pilot remained on the edges of the three cities and mostly kept his vehicle vertical, though Dena could sense a very slight tilt, since he was traveling upwards in a very wide spiral along the city levels. It was only a few minutes before they were high up over the sparkling blue bay, and Dena could feel and smell the sea breeze in her face. Quen got up next to her and held her hand as they enjoyed the sights. The girl squeezed his gloved hand in return, more than grateful to share this experience with him. Syrvic enjoyed himself too, holding Tahoe and petting him as his single eye took in everything.

However, as they rose up to the top level, the pilot kept going and flew them in a circle high overhead.

"What are you doing?" Dena shouted to him over the growing wind.

"Just letting you see the sights," the Jadeite shouted back, "I always take witches on the scenic route." Dena blushed, feeling silly at this.

"That's the Verdant Palace below us," the green-skinned man said, pointing. Now Dena, Quen, and Syrvic were all peering over the railings of the sky-ship, their mouths open in awe. Most of the green, pipe-like towers they'd seen of the upper-most city were what made up the palace, which stood in the center of a great ring of plazas. The rest of the Top Level city surrounded it, but it was still a spectacular sight.

The Jadeite then had the ship spiral gently in and land vertically in a large green plaza decorated in an interesting pattern.

"All ashore who's going ashore!" the pilot called out, having said so many times before.

"Come on big guy," Dena said, nudging Themen, "we're on solid…ground…I guess you could say."

"Is it over?" the griffin asked, peeking through his large paws.

"Yes, come on," Syrvic prodded, pulling on him. Themen shakily got to his feet and staggered uncertainly, taking deep breaths as he gratefully got off the ship.

"Thank you so much for helping us," the girl said to the Jadeite.

"Thank _you_ for fixing my airship and making my day," the man said in return, "and please don't tell my boss I dropped you off in a non-regulation area. Good luck meeting the Mage." With that he took off. Themen shuddered, unable to watch him go, though Dena and the others took delight in seeing the ship fly off on its return trip back to Base Level.

"Stay close to me, Tahoe," the girl instructed the puppy, and thankfully he listened and stayed at her heels as they started walking. Dena kept close to Themen, helping to calm him, whilst Syrvic walked on his other side, wary of the griffin's flighty nature. Quen kept a hold of Dena's hand, and the girl squeezed it once in a while, grateful to have him so close. Just when Dena thought she couldn't be wowed any more, Jaden still had much to show. There were parks and fountains of all shapes everywhere, with holographic screens advertising stuff. Green-skinned people walked everywhere, many carrying devices that again reminded Dena of both home and a Jules Verne novel. More people were getting in and out of airships, shopping in the nearby districts, or riding more exotic animals. Human traffic wasn't as crazy here as it had been at Base Level, but much of it still confused Dena and her friends.

They were about to figure out where the palace gates were when a terrible roaring noise could be heard overhead. The sky darkened, and Dena and her friends, as well as everyone else in the streets, looked up in shock and horror. Overhead dark clouds gathered, and Dena could see streaks of black smoke zipping about underneath the growing cloud cover. She couldn't make out what they were, but that was when the fireballs started. The dark specks began throwing balls of fire at the city below, and soon the fiery bombs were smashing into the lovely green buildings.

"Hit the dirt!" somebody screamed, and the streets erupted with cries of terror. This time Syrvic didn't stop Themen as the griffin took off and hid under a decorative stone bridge in a nearby park. Dena and the others joined him, all of them squeezing in under the bridge for cover.

"What's going on?" Themen asked fearfully, covering his head and shuddering. Dena watched warily from their hiding place as more fireballs bombarded the buildings around them. People all around them were screaming and running for cover in the midst of the fiery rain.

Only one person could be hurling fire at them now, though Dena could not figure out if it was who she thought it was, up there among the swirling smoke and thunder. But she couldn't think of anyone else.

"It's the Black Norn, it's gotta be," she said gravely.

"The Black Norn?" Themen repeated.

"Yeah, the witch I told you about," the girl informed him, "You know, the one who wants my ruby Anklets and wants to kill me to get them? The one who sent the Wiks after us? I don't know how she did it, but somehow she followed us here." That was when Quen, whose wide blue eyes had been watching the fireballs intensely, saw a big one headed right for them.

"_Look out!_" he screamed, and the whole group flew out from under the bridge, just as it was struck by the fireball. The explosion sent up huge chunks of dirt, water, and green stone behind them, and also caused the group to go flying. Dena landed on her stomach several feet away with Quen on top of her, shielding her as best he could with his straw body. Dena pushed her hair out of her face and tried to get up, but Quen stopped her.

"Stay down!" he urged, "You'll only get hurt."

But something strange was happening. There were still shrieks from the falling fireballs, but there were no more explosions. In fact, the whistling from the bombs was cut short by strange noises. Dena and the others looked up and were amazed to see that the fireballs were not hitting buildings anymore, but a vanishing into what looked like the very air itself over the city. They would burst into liquid green light and be absorbed into nothing.

"Whoa! They got shields in this place? Cool!" Dena exclaimed in amazement. Quen, Syrvic, and Themen were equally amazed and relieved, though none of them (save Dena) had ever seen a magical shield in use before. The bombardment ended soon after the shield activated.

It was then that Dena and Quen realized how close they were together, and they rolled away from each other in mild embarrassment. That was when Dena's dark eyes widened.

"Quen! You're on fire!"

"_Where? Ahh! Ahh!_" the scarecrow shouted in terror, finding that a few sparks had ignited his back. Before he could run about and burn up, Dena shoved him to the ground.

"Roll, Quen! Roll like your life depends on it!"

"It kinda does!" he yelled back, though he obeyed and rolled, snuffing out the fire in moments.

Dena dropped to the ground and wrapped her arms tightly around the scarecrow.

"Oh Quen I was so scared," she said with a shudder, "Don't do that to me again, please." Since Quen didn't have to breathe, he didn't complain about how tightly she squeezed him, and he actually liked it, since having her close was welcoming after his near-death experience. He held her equally close and laid a gentle kiss on her head. Dena gradually froze, surprised by the kiss, and pulled back to stare at him. She couldn't think or breathe, her heart still pounding from before. Their faces were so close, their lips only a short distance from one another. All Dena could register were his eyes, how close he was…so close…so close…

"Holy hand grenades! Guys look!" Syrvic exclaimed. His metallic voice broke the spell over Dena and Quen, causing them to abruptly pull apart and stand up. Tahoe appeared at Dena's feet, having hidden during the firestorm. Dena felt shaky all over, barely able to lift the pup without almost dropping him.

She and the others (including Themen, who'd recovered from their wild jump) looked up at the sky and saw something that made them all shudder. Against the black backdrop of the thunderclouds floated a fiery message, one so large that people for miles could see it. It read;

"_HAND OVER DENA OR DIE!"_

* * *

**Aww, they were about to kiss. Dang you Syrvic! :S Aw man, Jaden is an amazing city, isn't it? I was inspired by some Oz fan artwork that showed a very large Emerald City floating over some mountains. **

**Yes, I'm a fan of the Steampunk genre, I admit it. Nothing's more fun than putting in steam-powered, Victorian fantasy tech into a story such as this. It was done in "Tin Man," why not here? **

**When they were doing the skywriting scene with the Wicked Witch in the 1939 film, they actually used a black pen on an oil-covered surface, hence the black dot we see in the sky over Emerald City. Originally it said **_**"Surrender Dorothy or die!"**_** but they removed the "or die!" part because the movie producers felt it made the moment in the movie too dark and ominous. **

**Like many writers, I listen to and am inspired by music when I write, and this chapter was no exception. x-xMasqueradeAngelx-x started a tradition of telling what music inspired her to write certain parts of her fanfics, and I'd like to continue that tradition here. **

**When writing about Dena & her friends seeing Jaden for the first time, I listened to Track 3 on the soundtrack for "Lord of the Rings: Return of the King." It's called "Minas Tirith." If you listen to it while reading that part, you can truly feel the size and majesty of Jaden, as well as the wonder the characters felt when seeing it. **

**The music from the "Peter Pan" (2003) soundtrack was also useful. When the characters were flying up to the top of the city in the airship, I listened to #2: "Flying," and #3: "Learning to Fly." **


	18. The Sea Maidens

**Hey guys, I'm back and ready for another visit to Eldan. Dad & I just celebrated our birthdays in the past two weeks, so this month is pretty special for both of us :) I would like to thank x-xMasqueradeAngelx-x for mentioning me in the author's note of her most recent updates. It means a lot :D **

**This particular chapter was inspired by a very special song, so get ready for some fun…**

* * *

Within moments there was a stampede. Dena and her friends were swept along by the sudden horde of Jadeites as they poured out of buildings and into the streets. Even Themen's huge size didn't deter the frightened mob as they rushed towards the Verdant Palace. Dena hung onto Tahoe and Quen's hand very tightly, hoping to God she and her friends wouldn't get trampled in the rush.

They ended up several hundred yards from what could only be the front gate of the palace's outer wall, for the mob gathered there, shouting and crying out for answers from their Mage. Dena could hear people all around her saying things like,

"Who's this Dena?"

"What would the witch want with her?"

"Why would a witch bomb us?"

"Why is this happening?"

"We haven't been at war in a long time!"

"We didn't do anything wrong!"

Dena started to feel very low at this point, though her feelings were dampened by the panic and shouting going on all around her. Quen and Syrvic saw her sad expression and put comforting hands on her shoulders.

A contingent of guards had gathered at the tops of the walls flanking the main gate, and people banged on the wall, demanding answers and making accusations. However, a holographic screen then appeared over the crowd, causing everyone to fall silent after a few minutes. A Jadeite man in black addressed the mob.

"People of Jaden; the Great Mage has announced that he has matters well in hand and the situation is under control. Do not fear for our fair city, for you are safe. A public address shall be made at this time tomorrow night. Return to your homes please, that is all." With that, the screen flickered out and the people took a few minutes to absorb the message, and even longer to slowly disperse back into the streets.

Dena took one look at the armed guards, what she could only guess were sentry robots, the solid-looking green gate, and lost heart.

"Guys, let's get outta here," she sighed sadly, and turned away.

"Wait a sec," Syrvic stopped her, "what are you doing? We're _this _close to the Mage. We can't quit now!"

"And what makes you think they're gonna let us in now?" Dena demanded, "You've seen those guards. Any attempt to break in and they'd probably taser us to death, or worse."

"But _you're_ the one in the message," Quen piped up, "they _can't_ turn us down."

"Come on Dena, don't give up," Themen encouraged her, "you're the most determined person we've ever known. You can't just back off from this. That's my department." The girl looked back and forth between the three faces surrounding her, not sure of what to do, though she was really starting to hate herself in that moment.

"I'm _not _giving up," Dena lied, "I just need some time to think about how we're gonna get in. Give me a moment."

Night had fallen by now, giving rise to the gold and green lights that illuminated the floating city of Jaden. Although the dark clouds had faded and stars had come out in the sky, the Black Norn's fiery message still remained, and the aerial display continued to cause a stir. The local people were still upset. Many walked along in the streets with their eyes warily on the sky, whilst others just stood and stared upwards.

Dena tried not to let their behavior and murmurings unnerve her any more than they already had as she carried Tahoe over to a park bench. The lovely green park would have been marred by several craters caused by the fireballs, had it not been for some peculiar little floating robots that flew in and had the place repaired in less than twenty minutes after the attack. The same story went for the buildings that had been damaged as well.

She put Tahoe down, and the pup promptly went over to inspect a Jadeite selling green fruit in a cart. The others joined Dena at the park bench, though Themen had to sit down on the ground nearby. Quen took the girl's hand into his, trying to comfort her as she sat there, staring into space. Syrvic sat on the other side of her, scanning the area while waiting for anything the girl had to say.

"This is all starting to feel too big," Dena murmured after a while.

"What?" Quen asked. Tahoe came back from the cart with a green fruit in his mouth and lay down by Themen to eat it. Dena couldn't help but smile at the shepherd's ability to beg so well, and leaned down to scratch his head as he ate. In answer to Quen's question, Dena said,

"All of this. The trip, the Anklets, the trouble we went through, the attacks, finding the Mage…I didn't realize what was really going on here."

"What's going on?" Themen asked.

"Whatever we do is gonna affect a lot of people," the girl replied, "Didn't you see some of these people get hurt, just because we came here? Oh, I think my head's gonna start spinning soon."

Quen took Dena into his arms with one hand on her head.

"Don't worry, I'll keep it steady."

"And I'll fix your gyroscope," Syrvic joked. Dena wrinkled her nose at him for the remark.

"You goober," she teased.

It was then a great cheering and applause rose up from nearby, making Themen jump in fright.

"What's going on?" he asked fearfully, "Did the witch come back? Are we finished?"

"I don't think so," Dena said with curiosity. She and the others glanced over and saw a large crowd of green-skinned people gathering around an open-air stage in a large plaza near the park. An entire orchestra and choir were set up around the stage, with a Jadeite man starting up the music with drums.

"Looks like a concert," Dena observed. It seemed odd to see something so cheery after what had happened earlier that evening, but Dena needed a nice distraction right now. She turned to Quen, Syrvic, and Themen.

"Come on, let's watch," she encouraged them, smiling a little as she got up to join the crowd. Dena's friends had never seen a concert before, so they were quite intrigued by the whole thing. They remained on the edge of the crowd, trying to be discreet while watching. Dena was grateful they didn't need tickets to watch.

The choir began murmuring the introduction to the song as four incredibly beautiful Jadeite women came dancing up onstage. They all wore colorful dresses with corset tops laced with ribbon in the back; and long, flowing skirts with vertical ruffles fluttering above their bare feet. Their long, flowing green hair varied in shade and length from one lady to the next, though each had an excited look on her face as they got started with their song…

_Chuaigh mé isteach i dteach aréir_

_is d'iarr mé cairde ar mhnaoi an leanna._

_Is é dúirt sí liom "Ní bhfaighidh tú deor._

_Buail an bóthar is gabh abhaile"  
_

"What are they singing?" Quen asked, curious.

"It's Old Eldish," a nearby Jadeite piped up, "the Sea Maidens like singing old songs in it and making them new."

"That's what they're called?" Dena asked, "The Sea Maidens?"

"Shh!" the Jadeite shushed.

_I came by a house last night  
And told the woman I am staying  
I said to her:  
"The moon is bright and my fiddle's tuned for playing"_

A fifth Jadeite woman in white came dancing out onstage, playing a violin made of malachite. Dena had never seen anyone play a violin without sitting or having music in front of them, but this woman did. She fluttered about on the stage like a butterfly, her footsteps light and airy as she fiddled away. It was a small wonder how her flowing pale green hair didn't get stuck in the strings, but she did very well with the accompanying music.

_Tell me that the night is long  
Tell me that the moon is glowing  
Fill my glass, I'll sing a song  
And we'll start the music flowing_

_Never mind the rising light_  
_There's no sign of day or dawning_  
_In my heart it's still the night_  
_And we'll stay here till the morning_

Immediately the dancing began, though how they managed to dance and sing at the same time, Dena couldn't figure out. Maybe it was magic. Maybe it was a gift the Jadeites had. Either way, she and some of the other people in the audience started doing little dance moves in tune with what the ladies on stage were doing.

_Níl sé ina lá, níl a ghrá,_

_níl sé ina lá is ní bheidh go maidin,_

_níl sé ina lá is ní bheidh go fóill,_

_solas ard atá sa ghealaigh._

_It's not day nor yet awhile  
I can see the starlight shining  
Níl sé ina lá is ní bheidh go fóill,_

_solas ard atá sa ghealaigh._

The music was intoxicating. It seemed to fill up the whole plaza and enthrall the growing crowd of spectators. People were even dancing along to the song and trying to imitate the Sea Maidens, who in turn became more passionate the deeper they got into the song. The fiddling Jadeite woman became especially interesting to watch as she wove in and out of her fellow ladies, hyping up the music as it progressed. However, something happened that Dena totally didn't expect.

_Fill the glasses one more time  
And never heed the empty bottle  
Turn the water into wine  
And turn the party up full throttle!_

When Dena and her friends had first come in, they had chosen a spot relatively close to the stage, and they had a nice view of the performers. However, Dena was shocked when she saw a familiar figure in ragged clothing and a pointed, Gandalf-like hat get up on stage.

"What the hell?" Dena cried out in dismay. A sort of commotion was spreading among the Jadeites in the audience, for they weren't expecting a scarecrow to join the Sea Maidens at that moment.

"What the heck is he doing up there?" Syrvic wanted to know, echoing Dena's thoughts.

"He's gonna ruin the concert!" the girl worried out loud, rushing into the crowd.

While the song had been going, Quen had gotten so enchanted by what he saw and heard going on during the concert that he simply couldn't help himself. What Dena _didn't _see as she pushed quickly through the crowds, was that the lead singer of the Sea Maidens, a rather buxom girl in lavender, had not let the arrival of a living scarecrow deter her and her friends from their song. In fact, they had not broken their song at all, but rather had Quen join in their dancing.

Dena rushed up to the stage and tried yelling over the song,

"Quen! What are you doing up there! Get down—aahh!" Instead of arguing, Quen merely grabbed Dena's hands and pulled her up onstage as well. The girl had never been so embarrassed in her life, and never had she _ever _interfered with a concert before. But before she could even object to Quen's actions, she was immediately swung into the dance, weaving among the girls and the scarecrow before she could say a word.

_Don't go out into the cold  
Where the wind and rain are blowing  
For the fire is flaming gold  
And in here the music's flowing_

The girl got another shock when she found Syrvic and Themen dancing on the stage as well. They'd followed her, curious as to why she was upset over Quen's actions. Following her lead, the robot and the griffin had leaped up on the stage to join in the dancing too. Though, because of his size, Themen kept to the back of the stage and let the others dance in front of him. It was a relief to Quen, Dena, and Syrvic to see the griffin finally taking a break from panicking and actually enjoying himself.

_Níl sé ina lá, níl a ghrá,_

_níl sé ina lá is ní bheidh go maidin,_

_níl sé ina lá is ní bheidh go fóill,_

_solas ard atá sa ghealaigh._

_Tell me that the night is long  
Tell me that the moon is gleaming  
Fill my glass, I'll sing a song  
And we'll keep the music streaming  
Until all the songs are sung!_

By now the crowd was going wild, thinking Dena and her friends' appearance was part of the show. No one seemed angry, and the girl had yet to see any security coming to wrench them off the stage, so she relaxed somewhat. The magic of the song was finally working into her system, and she was actually catching on to the rhythm of the Sea Maidens' dance.

_Níl sé ina lá, níl a ghrá,_

_níl sé ina lá is ní bheidh go maidin,_

_níl sé ina lá is ní bheidh go fóill,_

_solas ard atá sa ghealaigh._

_Níl sé ina lá, níl a ghrá,_

_níl sé ina lá is ní bheidh go maidin,_

_níl sé ina lá is ní bheidh go fóill,_

_solas ard atá sa ghealaigh._

The song went up in tempo, and now the ladies and their new dancing partners really got into the spirit of things. Several times Dena ended up with Quen, only to lock eyes with him and start feeling a spark of electricity before dancing away and moving with the others. A drum solo came about, the group paused in mid-dance. Dena found herself face-to-face with Quen again, both of them momentarily frozen as they waited for the finale. The girl couldn't help but notice the longing in the scarecrow's eyes, and she felt ridiculously warm all of a sudden, though she was already feeling a rush from the dancing and the Sea Maidens' incredible song. It was then the song finished, breaking the eye contact between them.

_Níl sé ina lá, níl a ghrá,_

_níl sé ina lá is ní bheidh go maidin,_

_níl sé ina lá is ní bheidh go fóill,_

_solas ard atá sa ghealaigh._

_Níl sé ina lá, níl a ghrá,_

_níl sé ina lá is ní bheidh go maidin,_

_níl sé ina lá is ní bheidh go fóill,_

_solas ard atá sa ghealaigh!_

At the end of the song, each girl spun and sung the last line in succession, creating a nice cascade effect between themselves and Dena's group. The crowd went wild once the music ended. It was in that moment that Dena, Quen, Syrvic, and Themen all became celebrities of Jaden.

Despite their unexpected fifteen minutes of fame, Dena now felt the embarrassment returning and quickly led her friends off the stage. The Sea Maidens waved with delight and blew kisses to the group, with the crowd screaming for more. The group was momentarily swarmed by admirers as they made their escape towards the park, though for some strange reason, the Jadeites suddenly dispersed again and went back to the concert without so much as a second glance at Dena and her friends.

"That's weird," Dena commented. She picked up Tahoe (who had thankfully stayed away from all the noise on the stage), and petted him uneasily.

"Gee, talk about fame being a fickle mistress," Syrvic said sarcastically.

"You are all indeed famous now," a new voice said, "but I do not think it's for dancing with the Sea Maidens." Dena and her friends looked around in surprise, not expecting to have a stranger suddenly talking to them. It was then Dena saw movement from behind a large green pillar, and a hooded figure stepped out. The girl held Tahoe closer, not sure what to make of the newcomer. Her friends flanked her closely, the three of them echoing her feeling of uncertainty.

The stranger was very tall and wore a long, flowing, emerald green robe with golden clockwork gears embroidered in a broad band around the hip area. Smaller gold gears adorned the various hems on the robe. The deep hood was lifted back, revealing a Jadeite man with a face that made Dena gasp. He was handsome, with pine green eyes, jade green hair in a buzz cut that was a shade lighter than his skin; and a tiny, dark green diamond tattoo on the bridge of his nose between his eyes.

"You remind me of somebody!" Dena exclaimed, "But I can't put a finger on who." The man chuckled.

"I get that a lot," he replied.

"So who are you, anyway?" Quen asked. A smile slowly spread on the man's face, revealing very white teeth.

"I am Oreyif. I work for the Mage of Eldan, and he is most interested in seeing you. All of you."

* * *

**Ah, that was fun, don't you agree? The Sea Maidens are based off my fave singing group, Celtic Woman. They have some of the most beautiful voices you've ever heard :D The song in the text is a recent one they did called **_**Níl Sé'n Lá **_**(nihl-shen-lah). It's actually sung in both Gaelic (**_**not**_** Old Eldish, lol) and English. (Gaelic is the ancient language of Ireland & various other parts of the British Isles). If you're ever interested, they have a vid on YouTube from the concert. I heard that song and absolutely **_**had **_**to include it in this fanfic. If you listen to it while reading this, you can get the fun, get-up-and-dance feel of the song :)**

**Plus, now Dena and her friends have cheered up and come across a most interesting surprise. But who is this Oreyif, and what part does he play in all this? Will they truly get to see the Mage now? Keep an eye out for the next chapter. **


	19. Guests of the Mage

** Hi everybody! Back from a sabbatical. A combination of writer's block and job-hunting can really cut into the whole writing thing. I do now have a job, though ;) (First one I've had in 3 years, thank you evil Recession). **

**Can you believe it's been over a year since I started writing this fanfic? Goodness! Course, it's not nearly as long as the gap was between starting this story and beginning the fanfic. **

**No worries though, I got a new chapter ready for you guys, and this time we'll have a little romance to boot. Glad to be back guys, & thank u all for your support.

* * *

**

"Seriously?" Dena said in amazement, "For real?" Oreyif nodded. The whole group exchanged looks of surprise and delight.

"Follow me," the Jadeite gestured, and the others fell in step behind him.

"Can you believe it?" Dena asked her friends, "The Mage wants to see _us!_"

"I feel like a celebrity," Syrvic said.

It wasn't long before other Jadeites and various peoples walking the streets noticed their escort's robes. Oreyif saw them as well and put his hood back up before the nearest photographers ran up and started taking pictures. Pretty soon, people Dena could only guess were reporters came rushing up, asking both Oreyif and the group questions, and yet, they couldn't get very close. There seemed to be some sort of…_force field_…surrounding the group, though Dena couldn't tell how it was working. She had seen dozens of news stories about celebrities getting mobbed and pushed around by eager reporters and paparazzi, and yet these guys couldn't get within ten feet of her and her friends.

_Weird_, Dena thought to herself as she checked on Tahoe. The little pup remained by her side as they walked down the broad green avenue, though he took an interest in Oreyif and was soon trotting next to the Jadeite.

The green-robed man said nothing more until they reached the front gate of the Verdant Palace. Dena expected to see the guards up on the walls to form a barricade, or the gates to open like ordinary doors; and was astonished to see Oreyif pass his hand over a panel next to the entrance, causing the doors to become translucent. He then walked right through them as if they weren't there, making Dena wonder if they were holograms too.

"Come," the man gestured towards the reluctant foursome. Dena and her friends exchanged looks before entering, and they were surprised to feel nothing as they passed through the ghostly gates. And yet, when the reporters and photographers tried to follow the group, the doors suddenly became solid and opaque. The girl's eyes widened at this, and glanced questioningly at Oreyif.

"Security measure that cuts down on violence," the green man explained, removing his hood once more.

"How did you make the doors do that?" Themen asked.

"Ancient magic," Oreyif replied, "follow me." Dena then noticed they were standing in a small courtyard of sparkling green stone. However, she and the others didn't get much of a chance to see it before they headed into the vast, yawning entrance to the palace.

They were soon passing through quite a number of hallways made of jade green stone with green marble on the floor. Many of the corridors were decorated in gold or green clockwork gears that graced the walls and curved ceilings.

"Now that we are away from all the eyes and ears of the media," Oreyif said in a more relaxed tone, "we can speak freely. I am sure you have many questions to ask me."

"Yeah, you could say that," Dena said, raising an eyebrow.

"I take it you're Princess Dena?" Oreyif asked. The girl was taken aback.

"Wha—how did you know—I'm not a—"

"The Mage knows everything, highness," the Jadeite put in. Dena grew quite red and crossed her arms.

"Listen here," she began, "I don't know what you heard, but—"

"You need not worry, princess," Oreyif assured her, "we treat royalty very well in this fair city. You are the first princess to visit us since the Witch War."

"Really?" Syrvic piped up. The Jadeite nodded.

"Walk with me, all of you, and we will talk."

With that, he pressed a button on the wall and the group walked into a large, octagonal elevator.

"You knew we were coming?" Dena asked as they went up.

"I did not," Oreyif said as they stepped out, "it was the Mage who alerted me to your presence." He headed for a sky bridge, but Themen saw how the curved glass wall/roof revealed they were nearly a dozen floors up.

"Oh crappers," he moaned, backing away.

"Oh no, not again," Dena muttered. She and Syrvic were at the griffin's side within moments.

"Listen pal, I'm not gonna put up wi—" The robot suddenly found Dena's hand covering his metal mouth.

"Themen," she said gently, "you can handle this. Just keep your eyes shut and we'll lead you along. I'm sure Oreyif only picked this place because he couldn't find another route. Come on. Just trust me, big guy."

The griffin glanced between her and Oreyif for a second before closing his yellow eyes really tight. Dena and Syrvic began walking on either side of him, gently leading him along by the shoulders. Quen, who had been quiet all this time, now had his eyes wide open and looking in wonder at everything. The sky bridge had much to offer visually. Down below they could see the main body of the Verdant Palace as well as the upper city of Jaden. The green metropolis sparkled and glowed emerald and gold in the night, with the lights of various aerial vehicles floating about like large fireflies. Everything looked so small from up there, though a number of the palace's flute-like towers continued way up past where the group was walking.

"It appears the Mage did not tell me everything about you or your friends," Oreyif observed.

"Themen's scared of heights," Dena explained, "It's one of the many reasons he came with us to see the Mage."

"I see," the green man noted.

"And yes, I'm the Dena the Black Norn wants," the girl added, now able to see the fiery message that still burned up in the sky.

"Ah yes, her," Oreyif said, "we have had to deal with her off and on again for the past three hundred years. Though I have never seen her this volatile before. It seems you really made her angry."

"Having a house dropped on your sister and losing the Ruby Anklets will do that to you," Dena remarked. Oreyif suddenly stopped and whirled on her.

"Is it true?" he asked in amazement, making everyone jump, "Do you really have them?"

"Uh, yeah, why?" the girl answered dubiously. She stuck a foot out to show him.

"Heaven's above," the man whispered, "I never thought I would live to actually see them."

"What's so big about them anyway?" she girl asked, "Everybody keeps making a big deal about them, and yet they haven't done anything for me." Oreyif gave her an apologetic smile and resumed walking. By now they'd reached the end of the sky bridge and were walking along some hallways that were more to Themen's taste, with stained-glass green windows.

"I hear you all rode in on Horses of a Different Color," Oreyif commented.

"Is that what those unipegs were?" Quen asked, speaking up for the first time.

"I am not sure what a 'unipeg' is, but Horses of a Different Color are legendary in Eldan," the Jadeite told them as he turned a corner, "they are said to be very pure. So pure that evil cannot bear to be near them, and only those with good intentions can ride them. That is how the Mage knew you four were not a threat."

"Seems like your cries for help worked," Dena winked at Syrvic. The robot gave a satisfactory grin.

"How did the Mage know we were coming?" Quen asked.

"It is one of his special gifts," Oreyif explained, "He knows everything."

"Okay, that sounds a little creepy," Dena said uncertainly.

"What exactly are you, anyway?" Syrvic wanted to know, "Do you work for the Mage?"

"I am something of a liaison between the Mage and those he works with. When he has commands, I carry them out. When he has wishes, I make them known to those who serve him."

Dena looked around, noting now that they were in a large rotunda room. The ceiling was a green and gold glass dome that revealed the starry night sky, and there were five green doors along the curved walls. Looking down, she saw a gold clockwork design woven in with the green marble.

"Where are we?" she asked.

"Why, your quarters," Oreyif answered, gesturing towards the doors, "as guests of the Mage, you have the privilege of residing in his palace. He commanded that you have a place to stay."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Syrvic stepped in, "I thought we were actually gonna _see _the Mage. What's all this about quarters?"

"He's got a point, Oreyif," Dena agreed, "We came to see the big cheese himself, not this place." At this the Jadeite remained calm.

"I said that the Mage of Eldan wished to see you. I did not say when, and he has not specified, though I am certain it will be soon. In the meantime, he stated you four were to have a place to stay and were to be cleaned up. Seeing your current condition, I am not surprised at his request." It was true; Dena and her friends truly were a sight.

After nearly a week of rough travel, few supplies, and running from danger, Dena's dress was torn and filthy, her heeled sandals were ready to fall apart, she was covered in dried dirt smudges, cuts, and bruises; and her hair was a tangled mess. The others weren't much better off, though it was hard to tell with Quen and Themen, considering they had lived outside their whole lives. Syrvic was mostly just dirty. Tahoe could have cared less if he was dirty, though the pup lay down on the floor in a very exhausted fashion at Dena's feet. The girl looked at him and was finally reminded of her own fatigue before approaching Oreyif.

"Are you _sure _we're gonna see him?" she asked, looking him straight in the eye.

"Yes, I am most certain," the man said in a serious tone. He then got back on task.

"Please, the Mage has sent servants to tend to your needs. You can find them right through here." He gestured towards the biggest of the five doors, which turned out to be a set of double-doors leading into a large, beautiful room that reminded Dena vaguely of a cross between a factory and a spa.

Seeing as they all needed time to rest and recuperate from their long and dangerous journey, Dena and her three friends gave in to the Mage's distant kindness and generosity. Jadeites dressed in green, gold, and white robes and tunics eagerly descended upon their unique set of guests, eager to help them out in any way they could. Each member of the group was led off into different areas of the large room.

Quen was re-stuffed with clean straw, and his clothes were repaired and patched wherever it was needed.

Technicians went to work on Syrvic; cleaning his steel outer shell, checking his joints for impurities, replacing old or damaged computer parts in his head, torso, and arm; and upgrading the laser in his arm with a newer one, as well as adding one that matched to his left arm. (That was by his own request).

Dozens of green-skinned young ladies swarmed around Themen, taking delight in scrubbing down and brushing his coat and feathers 'till they shined, cooing over the fact that he was like a big cuddly kitty around them. The griffin had never received this kind of attention before, and he was soaking it up like any friendly house-cat.

Dena felt almost decadent as she took the first bath she'd had in a week, scrubbing away every single particle of dirt she could find on her skin. The water felt wonderful. She didn't fight the Jadeite maidens that scrubbed her long dark hair, and gently worked out the tangles, twigs, and leaves they found caught in there. She then had every ache and pain she'd acquired out on the Golden Path massaged out of her tired muscles before she was wrapped in a lovely blue silken robe and escorted to her room.

It was several hours later that Quen found Dena there, sleeping more contentedly than he'd ever seen her during their journey. She looked even more beautiful now that she was cleaned up. The scarecrow glanced around, noting how lovely the girl's chamber was. Apparently the Mage had somehow set up the place knowing who would be sleeping in there.

The walls were covered in a panoramic view of a gorgeous lake that glowed aqua blue in the dark, and had pine boughs in the foreground. Rugged, snow-covered mountains graced the far shores of the lake against a backdrop of the starry night sky. If one looked closely, they could see the pine branches move in a silent breeze, waves on the lake, and the stars twinkling. The only things that really broke up the mural were the door to the hallway and a set of stained glass balcony doors. All the furniture was made of green and gold metalwork, and the canopy bed was draped in soft blue silk that matched the painted lake.

Quen looked over the room in fascination before coming over to the bed.

"Dena," he whispered, putting a hand on her shoulder. The girl took a deep breath before stretching and waking to the sight of the scarecrow.

"Oh, hi Quen," she murmured, "how've you been doing?"

"Great," he replied, "you should see our rooms, it's fantastic. Mine's full of books and machines that make floating pictures and talk to me. They answer every question I ask and everything." Quen's excitement grew as he talked, allowing the girl to wake up more as she listened. She reached over and petted a still-sleeping Tahoe at her side. The pup was so tired from the journey that he barely registered the scarecrow's presence in the room.

"Syrvic's room is full of all sorts of broken machines and some kind of table covered in funny tools," Quen continued with delight, "and he's been tinkering and fixing them ever since. And you should have seen the look on Themen's face when he saw his room. The place looks like a forest, complete with a huge nest beneath some trees and creek running through. I've never seen him look so happy."

"Wow, sounds like the Mage went all-out," Dena commented. She slipped off the bed and headed out to the balcony. Quen followed eagerly.

"Though it does make you wonder how the Mage managed to rig up all this stuff before we got here," Dena told him as she looked out over the city. She leaned on the railing, the breeze playing at her long dark hair and skirt. The scarecrow joined her at the railing.

"I'll say," her companion agreed.

A stray thought came to mind, one that Dena had neglected to dwell on when first meeting Quen.

"Hey Quen," she said, "what do you plan to do when the Mage finally gives you that brain you wanted?" The scarecrow looked surprised for a second, for it was the last thing on his mind at the moment.

"I don't know," he replied, though he was soon full of ideas.

"Maybe I could confer with flowers, consult with the rain, and solve every problem people bring to me."

"Oh yeah?" Dena asked playfully.

"I could unravel every riddle for every individ'l," Quen said, taking a hold of Dena's arms and twirling her into a laughter-filled dance on the balcony, "I could tell why the ocean's near the shore, think of stuff I've never thought of before, answer why birds fly west in the winter, or even solve the greatest mysteries in all of Eldan!"

Dena couldn't help but laugh in delight as she danced with Quen, and at the end the two of them hugged each other tightly.

"I'm so glad you came with me Quen," the brunette said into his shoulder, "you and Syrvic, and Themen all made this place better for me."

"And I'm glad you saved me from the cornfield and took me along," the scarecrow replied, "I've never ever had that much fun in my life." Dena smiled warmly, taking in the bright and gentle honesty of her friend's blue gaze. She then kissed him on the cheek and quickly turned to go inside so he wouldn't see the blush that bloomed on her face. For a moment, Quen stood there, slightly stunned and putting a hand on his burlap cheek, not sure if he believed what had just happened. Usually it was he who kissed her.

He went inside and found the girl on her bed again, gently placing Tahoe at the foot for minimal disturbance. The pup barely seemed to notice in his sleepy state. Dena then patted the space on the bed next to her. The scarecrow didn't hesitate to join her, and she leaned her head onto his shoulder as she settled down, the urge to sleep coming back.

"What do you think the Mage will be like?" Dena asked.

"I can't think, remember?" Quen reminded her.

"Come on, Quen," the girl urged, "surely you have some ideas. Do you think he's nice?" The scarecrow shrugged and wrapped an arm around Dena's shoulders, the straw within rustling softly.

"I wish could guess, but I can't," he told her.

In her tired state, Dena snuggled into Quen's arms, grateful for his presence in a relatively safe and beautiful place as this. However, when she rested her head below his shoulder, she heard something that alarmed her. Something was moving in his straw!

"Quen!" she jumped in shock.

"What? What?" he cried out.

"There's something alive in your chest!" the girl said, "Is there some animal in there you didn't tell me about?"

"Um…no?" he said, now starting to look very nervous and frightened.

"But I heard something," the girl insisted, "what is it?" Quen turned away from her, now appearing ashamed.

"Quen?" Dena's voice softened, now worried at his behavior.

"It's not an animal," he said quietly.

"What is it?" the girl repeated.

"I…I…" the scarecrow was at a loss for words. Now Dena's curiosity was piqued. She laid a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Don't be scared," Dena said softly, "I won't hurt you. I just wanta see." Quen was reluctant at first, but he could see in Dena's eyes that she was telling the truth, so he relaxed and lay back on the pillows. She untied his rope belt and lifted up his tunic, careful not to disturb too much of the new straw that made up his torso. She was pleased to see that the people who had re-stuffed him had taken the effort to wrap thin ropes about his torso so it would hold its shape better. A few bits of straw still fell out onto the covers, but the scarecrow kept track of them. The girl gently pulled aside the straw that made up Quen's chest with her fingers. All the while the scarecrow was very nervous, not sure what was going to happen when Dena found out…

"Oh Quen…" she breathed. She met his gaze, her eyes wide with wonder.

"Is there something wrong?" he asked, worried and very still with anxiousness.

"Why didn't you tell me you had a heart?" Dena asked, completely dumbstruck by her discovery. The heart she found resembled a glowing purple orb the size of her fist that radiated warmth and pulsated softly within the straw of Quen's chest. Although it didn't pump blood or have arteries and veins connected to it, she knew the orb for what it was.

"I…I didn't know until they re-stuffed me. I know I didn't have it when I first came about. I guess I grew it over time..." the poor scarecrow was really struggling to explain, though he could barely believe or understand it himself. He quickly pulled his tunic back down and re-tied the belt.

"Please don't tell Syrvic," he begged.

"Don't worry, I won't," the girl assured him. She lay back against the pillows again.

"Man," she shook her head, "of all the things I didn't expect, that was one of them." Quen glanced curiously at her.

"What?" Dena pursed her lips.

"All living things have a heart; except plants, but that's an exception," the girl explained, "I mean, Themen and I have hearts because we were born with them, and Syrvic's gonna get one soon, but you…that was a real surprise."

"You have one too?" Quen asked. Dena smiled at this.

"Yeah," she replied, squeezing his hand affectionately. She then yawned.

"Guess we can get back to where we were before," she teased gently. Quen let out a bashful sound through his smile before drawing Dena into his arms again. She fell asleep within moments, her head on his chest, the sound of his peculiar heart in her ear.

Quen looked around for a moment before getting a hold of the coverlet and folding it backwards over the girl. He had been frightened when the Jadeites found the heart while cleaning him up, but they had been kind enough to put it back, and it changed a lot on his perspective of everything. The scarecrow could not understand how he could grow a heart out of nowhere, but not a brain. He couldn't comprehend it any more than waking up in a cornfield one day and just staying alive ever since. But there was one thing that was very clear to Quen; something that he had realized ever since the discovery. The reason he'd grown a heart at all was because of Dena.

**~/~/~/~/~**

Slade had waited for hours for his mistress to return. It was one of his greatest duties to manage the fortress when the Norn was abroad, though he often grew lonely and bitter when she was absent. All the denizens of the dark, northern mountains waited with baited breath for their queen to return.

Orange lightning crackled in the dry, dark sky when Slade heard a distant roar. He came out onto the stone balcony and saw the Black Norn's squadron returning in a great cloud of dark smoke. The witch's return was much quicker, and when the riders reached the balcony, she flew off her Night Catcher and landed with a low boom on the stone balcony floor, crouched and flaring bright red in a halo of fire. Slade had backed away to avoid getting burned or attacked, should his mistress have another fit. But as she stood up, he saw a peculiar expression on her face. It was her usual dark anger, and yet she also had a trace of dark-hued pleasure playing at her features.

"Slade," the Black Norn began, her black eyes intense, "the Time Has Come."

Slade's chartreuse eyes widened, and there were gasps of shock and awe among the riders hovering next to the balcony. Everyone in the Black Norn's realm had been waiting _centuries _to hear her utter those words. For many long years, they had been planning and preparing for that day, and now it had finally come.

The witch stepped quietly over and kissed Slade on his mask where his mouth was hidden, the man almost delirious with satisfaction, if only for a moment.

"Prepare for the First Wave," she commanded in a quiet, meaningful tone, her dark eyes smoldering with contentment.

"The First Wave, majesty?" Slade repeated, daring to hope.

"Yes Slade, the First Wave."

* * *

**Well, looks like things are really heating up, for both the good guys & the bad. But it is curious. Why doesn't the Mage want to see Dena and her friends now? And what is the Black Norn planning? We'll see more romance and action in the next few weeks. **

**I apologize for slacking off with the Oz trivia, but now I've got some more to share. The Horse of a Different Color in the movie was actually several horses with jello-powder crystals painted into their fur. This was actually something of a problem because the horses kept eating their makeup, lol. So they had to film the scenes with the horses very quickly before they started eating again, lol. **

**The silver mark Dena has on her shoulder is actually a vague reference to something I read in the original **_**Wizard of Oz**_** novel. Before Dorothy left Munchkinland in the book, Glinda kissed her on the forehead and left a round, shiny mark that served to protect the girl from harm, though she wasn't aware she had it for quite a while. **

**Oh, I have a new fanfic posted. It's in honor of the Christmas season coming up. It's called "Christmas for the Elves." So if any of you are fans of the "Santa Clause" movies, please check out the story :)**


	20. Love & Truth

**Evening everyone :) Glad to be posting again, though it feels weird writing **_**two **_**fanfics on here instead of one. If I don't post another chapter before the 24****th****, I just want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas :)**

**I know the story has taken another deviation from the original plot, but I think you'll understand why with this chapter. I never add my changes without reason, as you saw with chapters 12 through 15. We'll get back on track soon, but in the meantime, enjoy a little tour through Jaden…

* * *

**

The next morning, Dena met up with Oreyif, asking again about the Mage, but the message was the same. He wasn't ready to see them yet.

"…I don't get it," Syrvic said after breakfast, "the high and mighty Mage of Eldan insists that we come stay in his palace, and then he doesn't act like he wants to see us. What's the big deal?"

Dena had decided, since they weren't seeing the Mage just yet, she'd suggested that the group should go on a tour and explore Jaden. Although they had gotten an eyeful the evening before, Dena felt there was more to the great City of Jade. Plus they didn't have much to do in the palace besides letting Jadeite servants wait on them. Oreyif had been kind enough to arrange an air-taxi for them to take around Jaden. So there Dena, Syrvic, and Quen were, standing on a sparkling green platform on the western side of the Verdant Palace, waiting for their ride. (Themen had declined the offer to join them, due to his condition. He had chosen to remain behind in the palace).

"It _is _kinda odd," Quen agreed, shading his eyes to try and pick out their ride among the aerial traffic. Dena merely petted Tahoe, pleased that the shepherd had gotten a proper grooming the night before. She hadn't really noticed how dirty his fur had become during their journey, seeing as she had gotten equally dirty in that time. Now it felt nice being clean, and well…being treated like a princess wasn't so bad. Those thoughts led her back to the Mage and her friends' conversation.

"Maybe he's just really busy," Dena suggested to Quen and Syrvic, "I mean, doesn't he rule this place? Where I came from, guys like him had their days totally filled up."

"Do you have Mages in Nebraska?" the scarecrow asked.

"No," Dena told him, "but we have a president and governors who help run the place. And they all work very hard, or, at least they're supposed to."

It was then the wind kicked up, and a familiar-looking airship touched down on the platform where the threesome stood. Tahoe began to bark with earnest, his tail wagging like an out-of-control windshield wiper. Dena's eyes widened when she saw who the pilot was.

"Hey, you're back!" she exclaimed, surprised and delighted to see that it was the same airship pilot who had helped them the day before.

"My pleasure ma'am," the Jadeite said, saluting her.

"You're going to take us around the city?" Quen asked curiously.

"Yep," the pilot said as he opened the door and let down the ramp, "when my boss saw the repair work you did and heard that I'd escorted a witch, I got a promotion. Now I ferry VIP's." At this he lent a very big, white smile to Dena.

"What should we call you?" Dena asked as they boarded.

"Just call me Caddy, it's my name, after all," the green-skinned man replied, and with that they were off.

**~/~/~/~/~**

This tour was even more fun than the last one, namely due to less-desperate circumstances and the fact that Themen wasn't cowering on the airship floor. Dena would have wondered what the griffin was up to, now that he was alone in the palace, but she soon let her mild worry float away with the breeze. Caddy took them _between_ the floating cities this time, allowing them to look up underneath the Third and Second levels, as well as visiting parks, museums, famous buildings on all three levels, hanging gardens on the Second Level, and flying over a horse-race going on down on the First Level. They even got to fly over another Sea Maidens concert that was in progress that day. It was an exhilarating experience for the threesome.

Despite the beauty and wonders Jaden had to offer, none captured Quen's attention today more than Dena. She was a vision in a powder-blue silk dress with pale blue swirls printed all over it. The skirt was longer in the back and short enough in front to let her knees peek out as it floated in the breeze. She had on a separate sky blue satin bodice with a wide waist and a pair of soft, broad straps that rested over her shoulders and let the upper part of her dress to show on top. She also wore a pair of pale blue, transparent arm-warmers embroidered with tiny butterflies and flowers that complemented her bodice. Her dark brown hair hung in long, loose curls and she had silver threads woven into a pattern around her head like a crown, with pale blue ribbons fluttering down the back. She wore a pair of silver sandals that laced all the way up to her knees, and her ruby anklets glittered brightly in the sun, their scarlet color bright against the blue of her dress.

The tour lasted until late afternoon, when Dena and her friends grew tired and asked Caddy to take them back to the Verdant Palace. The threesome thanked the airship pilot for his continued kindness, and then went their separate ways in the palace.

Dena and Tahoe were about to go down one of the green halls when she heard someone clear their throat. She turned and saw Quen with his hands behind his back, a meaningful gaze in his expression.

"Dena?" he began.

"Yes?" the girl said.

"I…uh…" the scarecrow now said awkwardly, "I saw something when we flew out of this place this morning. I was wondering if you'd…want…me to show you."

"Really?" Dena said in surprise. She had no idea the scarecrow was so observant.

"Go ahead," she grinned, offering her arm. Quen smiled and gratefully took it, though it took him nearly half an hour to find what he was looking for. When he did, Dena couldn't help but gasp in wonder.

They emerged into the most beautiful garden she'd ever seen. Despite Jaden's obsession with the color green, this place was not just green, but thousands of other colors as well, including a few she didn't know existed. Flowers ranged in size from blossoms bigger than her head, to ones so tiny they were like snowflakes. Even the walkway was overgrown with flowers, (and for once it was a relief not to have any trying to eat them). Exotic birds sung a sweet song up in the flower-laden trees, and butterflies floated among the bushes and flowerbeds. Tahoe went off to explore under the bushes, hoping to find a rabbit to chase. Dena breathed in the soothing mixture of perfumes, taking delight as she and Quen walked through the vast garden. Music wafted up from somewhere, causing Dena to stop and listen.

"Hey Dena?" the scarecrow said, now feeling shy again.

"What is it Quen?" the girl asked, glancing back at him.

"While we were visiting that park, you know, the one with the fountains?...I saw a pair of Jadeites doing something that I was curious about. Can you tell me what it was?"

"Depends on what it is," Dena smiled playfully, "can you show me?" Quen came over and hesitated for a moment, before gently taking Dena's arms and placing her hands behind his neck.

"The woman had her arms like this," he explained, "and the man had his arms like this," he placed his loosely around her waist, "and they were moving in circles…"

"Oh!" Dena exclaimed, "They were slow-dancing! Why didn't you just say so? I'd love to." The two of them laughed in understanding as they took up the simple dance moves.

Dena had never felt so happy and relaxed in all her time in Eldan. She felt wonderful in the circle of Quen's warm straw arms, the rhythm of the music perfect for their footsteps. Had she not been in danger all the time and thinking about Nana in Nebraska, she would have liked Eldan more. It was a beautiful place, even more beautiful than Lake Tahoe, though she was reminded a great deal of her old home with this place. Everything here felt more real and raw than it ever had in her old life. She could barely remember it now, save for times when she felt lonely or had to remind herself as to why she was on the journey in the first place. And she had never had such wonderful friends as Quen, Syrvic, and Themen. They were better than any she had ever made at home.

She leaned her head on Quen's chest and steered her thoughts towards the more fun parts of Eldan, when she'd danced with the Sonchils, or laughed at Quen's silly questions, or Syrvic's sarcastic wisecracks. Even Themen's cowardly antics made her smile as she thought of all her friends had been through. But one in particular was first on her mind at that moment: Quen. Dena looked back up into his eyes, finally letting herself drown in them. Their slow-dancing gradually stopped but neither the scarecrow, nor the teen noticed. Quen had seen the Jadeite couple do something else as they danced, but he didn't want to tell Dena until he was sure…

They were so close, and nothing else existed in their world now but each other. The two of them drew closer, and their lips brushed one another. Curious at this, Quen leaned down more and explored her lips more closely, allowing the kiss to complete itself.

Dena breathed in a deep breath of shock, for she hadn't realized that this was where their dance had been headed, but now she knew what she wanted. She drew Quen closer and kissed him passionately, her heart pounding and a new-found feeling pouring through her veins like wildfire. She could feel the scarecrow's new heart also pounding through the straw in his chest, and his straw seemed to heat up as well as they got more into the kiss.

It grew so passionate that the couple accidentally fell over into a thick pile of pink and white flowers, though neither let it stop them. Another heated kiss passed between their lips, with Dena caressing Quen's cloth back while he ran his hand through her hair. His lips were much smoother than his burlap face, making it all the more welcome for the kiss. Dena had not understood the force that had drawn her to him for so long, and yet she knew it had been there the moment she had rescued the scarecrow from the burning cornfield. A great explosion of what could only be described as the greatest happiness came forth from within Dena's soul, a joy she had never known until now…

And that was when common sense came to smack her in the face. It came almost as quickly as a door slamming shut. Dena froze, and then ended the kiss as gently as she could, carefully easing Quen back with her hand on his chest so she could get a good look at him. He put his gloved hand on hers, caressing gently with his thumb. She could easily see her first feelings reflected so passionately in his bright blue eyes. But reality of what was going on was too much to ignore for Dena. Almost immediately, feelings of wrongness, self-loathing, and terror came uninvited into her soul.

"Oh God," she murmured, her expression turning to horror, "this isn't right." Quen's meaningful smile dissolved into confusion.

"What's wrong, Dena?" he asked. Dena had never felt so terrible in her life. She quickly rolled out from under Quen and got up, heading away towards the palace.

"I don't understand, what's wrong?" the scarecrow asked, following her.

"_This _is wrong, that's what!" the girl cried out miserably, whirling on him. Quen shook his head.

"I don't understand," he repeated, muddled by Dena's behavior. The poor girl felt like crying.

"We can't be together like this, Quen," Dena explained, "I'm a human being. I can't have a relationship with a scarecrow."

"Why not?" Quen asked, still not understanding, though his expression became increasingly troubled.

"Because…" Dena trailed off, not sure how to elaborate without hurting Quen's feelings, which was now the last thing she wanted, but knew deep down she couldn't avoid.

"Because?" the scarecrow prompted for her.

"Because…" the teen was unable to let the words come out. She couldn't bear it anymore, she couldn't say it. The girl bolted, running as fast as she could out of the gardens, her silky blue dress fluttering behind her.

"Dena wait!" Quen called, chasing after her. For once, Dena wished the scarecrow wasn't such a fast runner. He caught up to her almost immediately, though she pushed herself harder.

"Dena please! I want to know what you were going to say. Talk to me!" He called.

"Leave me alone!" Dena cried out, her voice tainted by tears threatening to flow. Startled, the scarecrow stopped and promptly fell over; completely befuddled by the way Dena was acting. He managed to get up on one knee before watching the dark-haired beauty rush off into the Verdant Palace.

Dena rushed through the airy walkways, not really running to any specific place. She just needed to get away, badly. She let her feet guide her, and found herself in another garden, though this one was filled with fountains. She leaned against a pillar, wiping the tears that had managed to escape her welling eyes. The girl sniffed and took a deep breath before taking in her surroundings.

The garden was a very large, lovely balcony, with no roof save for an arbor covered in flowered vines. Flowers graced the green pillars rising from the decorated railing. The fountains lent the soothing sound of burbling water to the scene. To Dena's muted surprise, she wasn't alone. Basking in the glow of the sunlight next to the largest fountain, and gazing up at the sky was Themen, his feathers shining bronze, green, and orange in the sun. He was careful not to look down at the city through the railing, despite the incredible vista the balcony provided.

In any other situation Dena would have been startled and hammering Themen with questions, but everything was different right now. The griffin glanced curiously in her direction, and it was all that the girl needed. She rushed over and threw her arms around his neck, burying her face in his feathers.

"Dena! What—" the griffin said in surprise, but his question was quickly cut off when he heard the girl crying.

"Dena?" he asked, now concerned. The girl didn't respond. She just let the tears of self-hatred and truth pour forth from her dark eyes into Themen's fur and feathers. The whole situation was very confusing to the griffin; considering he was usually the one to cry and Dena remain calm. However, simply having someone to cry on made it a tiny bit easier for Dena to re-organize her thoughts. She cried for what felt like hours, but was really a few minutes. Afterward, when Themen was finally able to make her meet his eyes, did the girl finally talk.

"Come on kid, what's wrong?" Themen asked, letting her hold his paw. Dena sniffed, her throat still tangled around the lump that had formed in it. But she finally let out,

"I love Quen." The griffin's eyes widened in surprise.

"You're kidding! For real?" he asked. Dena nodded at first, but then shook her head, wiping more tears away.

"I don't get it," Themen said in confusion, "you love him, but you don't?"

"_I'm in love with a giant rag doll!_" Dena blurted out before bursting into tears again. Themen now was about as confused as Quen had been. It hadn't really occurred to the griffin that Quen wasn't really a human, even though he resembled one.

"Well, on the bright side, there's worse things you could have fallen in love with," Themen joked. Dena felt like slapping him, though she knew how he felt about getting hit in the face, so she just went over to the railing.

"I can't go around falling in love with guys made out of straw," Dena sobbed, hugging a pillar for all she was worth, "it's just not right. I should be falling for human guys." Themen frowned at this.

"You have a problem with scarecrows?" he asked.

"Being friends with them, no; falling in love with them, yes," the girl said, turning towards him.

"I'm so confused. I haven't had my heart in this much torment since the time the Weck tried taking Tahoe away and Nana threatened to let her."

"What's so confusing about it?" Themen asked.

Dena couldn't bring the words out, her anguished expression causing the griffin to smile sympathetically at her.

"Hey," he invited softly, "come here." He gestured with his paw, and the girl came over, settling against his massive shoulder. She took a deep breath and just let the words tumble out.

"He's just so…caring and thoughtful and kind…he's always been there for me, and even saved my life a few times. I owe him that, but I don't think I can do it by loving him. And yet, there's something about Quen that makes me think about him so much, to want him, something that draws me to him, and he feels the same way. I can see it in his eyes. But it doesn't feel natural, how I feel about him, and yet I do feel that way. It's so not logical or normal."

Themen snorted loudly.

"Normal is about as overrated as green grass on the other side of the forest." Dena wrinkled her nose at him, momentarily distracted from her tears.

"Themen, this is not a good time for clichés," she told him as she sniffed and wiped her nose.

"Dena, I don't know anything about love," the griffin confessed, "I was too scared to ask out any of the girl griffins I grew up with, so I've always been alone. But I know one thing's for sure. The only thing you can do is…well…"

"Well what?" Dena prompted.

"Um…give it time…"

**~/~/~/~/~**

"…I don't understand it at all, Syrvic," Quen was saying to the robot, "she just ran off and didn't want to talk to me anymore." Not knowing what to do, the scarecrow had scooped up Tahoe and gone off to find his robot friend. He found Syrvic in the airship hangar of the palace, tinkering with a hunk of junk that had once been something that could fly, though it wasn't clear if it could ever do so again. Syrvic had discovered he had a passion for fixing stuff, and his robot brain had been helping his human mind a lot to decode what each and every part was for and how they fit together like a puzzle.

"What were you two doing anyway? Not that it's any of was my business," Syrvic deftly probed.

"I was taking her for a walk in a garden I'd seen when we were out on the tour," Quen explained. He stood there petting Tahoe while he watched the robot work, until the pup got curious about something and insisted on being let down.

"And?" the robot pressed, his own curiosity privately aroused.

"Well…we started dancing…and then we…we…"

"'We' what?" the robot repeated.

"We kissed." Quen let out.

"Really?" Syrvic turned and said with delight, "Good for you Quen! Give me a high-five!" The scarecrow wasn't quite sure what that was, but managed to deliver a decent slap to Syrvic's raised metal hand.

"I had a feeling something was cooking between you two," he said with a thumbs up.

"We weren't cooking anything," Quen said in confusion. The robot rolled his single eye.

"I knew you two liked each other," he said flatly, "I just wasn't sure how it was gonna play out." Syrvic quickly turned back to his tinkering.

"Well I'm never doing it again," Quen said miserably, "it hurt her feelings."

"Huh?" Syrvic was now the one to get confused.

"She ran off, saying it was wrong and that we shouldn't be together. I don't understand why she would say that…" the scarecrow shook his head.

"I don't believe it," Syrvic said.

"What?" Quen asked. The robot whirled on him.

"Do you have any idea how lucky you are?" Syrvic demanded, "I haven't been able to have feelings like that for anybody in ages…it's all the more reason I want a heart…so I can feel that way again. But you—you already have those feelings, and if you care that much about Dena, you're gonna have to fight for her, let her know what kind of an opportunity she's throwing away. You need to reason with her. Let her know what you feel is real. You can't let her slip away like this Quen, you can't!"

"But she ran off, where am I going to find her?" he asked.

"You wanted to be a genius," Syrvic pointed out, "get some practice and ask around." When the scarecrow didn't say anything, the robot dropped what he was doing and rolled his eye again.

"Come on lover-boy, let's go find her." The robot scooped up Tahoe, who'd come back to investigate, and dragged Quen with him down the nearest hallway.

**~/~/~/~/~**

Dena sat by Themen, stroking his feathers as she thought over what had happened. This was all too much for her to take in, not now when she was so close to her original goal. Never had she intended to fall in love along the way, much less with a guy made of straw. And yet she knew in her heart that it was true. She got up and looked down at the lower courtyards of the Verdant Palace from the balcony railing. The brunette saw a large crowd forming in the outermost courtyard, and remembered the announcement from the night before. She then knew what to do. There was only one way out of this.

"Dena?" Themen asked, wondering what was on the girl's mind. Dena turned to the griffin, the look in her dark eyes serious.

"I want to go home."

* * *

**Wow! So they finally admit it, Dena and Quen are in love. And yet they can't admit it to each other—what a conundrum! :S Oh the spells of love a city such as Jaden can weave at a time like this :/ **

**Okay, I'll admit that there's more realism in this Oz story than in the movie, but please don't crucify me over it. There is a good reason for everything I put in here, and this chapter is no exception. We all knew this was going to happen eventually, but what will happen when fate comes knocking at their doors again? Stick around for the next chapter; we're getting back on the Oz plotline train again real soon ;)**

**P.S. The kiss scene in the garden was inspired by "The Mummer's Dance," by Loreena McKennitt. **


	21. The Mage of Eldan

**Okay, I'm back ;) The last chapter got me pumping, and plus, with the original plotline back, I'm on a roll with this story :D I apologize if anybody might have gotten disappointed or upset with the last chapter, but don't lose heart. This will all play out, trust me. **

**And now, it's time Dena and her friends finally got to see the one man they've been after for so long...but can they handle what's in store for them?

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Themen was kind enough to let Dena ride him down to the outer courtyard. A large crowd had been allowed to gather in front of a pair of very large, very tall green and gold doors, doors that Dena and her friends had not used but seen when first entering the palace. The girl could only assume they led to the Mage. The crowd had gathered to hear news from their ruler in regards to the Black Norn's attack the night before. The sun was now setting, throwing everything into a deep golden glow with shadows.

The approach of the newly recognized princess astride her rather large griffin friend caused a stir on the edge of the crowd, whilst other Jadeites and citizens waited eagerly at the edge of the front platform for news.

As Dena dismounted Themen, she heard someone calling her name behind her. The girl turned and saw Quen and Syrvic rushing up, Tahoe barking eagerly in the crook of the robot's arm. The pup jumped down and ran up to his owner.

"Dena!" Quen exclaimed, "There's something I gotta tell you—"

"—Forget it," the girl cut in avoiding his eyes, "we're going to see the Mage, and he's going to solve our problems."

"But Dena—" the scarecrow protested.

"Quen, this is not the time to act stupid," the girl interrupted again.

"Dena, will you just _listen_ to him!" Syrvic insisted. Dena was about to say something else when a great commotion arose from the crowd.

The group glanced over to see a trio of Jadeite guards in dress armor emerge from the green and gold doors. The Captain of the Guard was the tallest Jadeite Dena had ever seen, though not the most attractive of his kind. He wore a long green cloak and carried his helmet under his left arm. He carried a tall green and gold spear capped with an emerald blade in his right hand; and as he approached the crowd, the yelling grew louder. Many of the people standing around were angry and upset, demanding answers from the armored man. The guard captain stopped and stared around for a moment, taking in the din of voices around him. The emerald spearhead flashed bright green, and the Jadeite banged it once on the platform, causing a great boom that silenced the crowd.

"The Mage has a message for his people," the Captain announced, his great booming voice requiring no microphones or sound systems to be heard by the entire crowd.

"In regards to the attack that took place on this city twenty-four hours ago, the Mage of Eldan says that you have nothing to fear. He is here to protect you, and has matters well in hand. That is all you need to know, and that you may now cease and depart. The Mage has spoken!" With that the emerald spearhead flashed again and the Captain banged his spear once more before turning back towards the great doors.

"That was it?" Dena asked in dismay, annoyed at the shortness of the message and disliking the negative feeling she was getting out of this. She exchanged looks with her friends.

"Well that's not good enough for me. We came to get results, and we're gonna get 'em. Come on!" The others voiced their agreement and followed Dena as she dove into the crowd that was now funneling out through the outer gate. It wasn't easy fighting the flow of people when they were heading _away _from the platform.

"Hey, watch it buddy! Out of my way!" she grunted. The girl ended up struggling and pushing her way through, that is, until Themen stepped in.

"You heard the lady, out of her way!" he roared, causing the entire crowed to part like the Red Sea in shock at the large griffin's voice. Dena raised an eyebrow.

"Why Themen, I had no idea you had it in you," she commented, leading the way down the new aisle.

"It's one of the few services I offer," the griffin joked as he lumbered on after her.

As the group approached the platform, it became clear that the Captain of the Guard and his comrades had stopped to see what all the commotion was about. He stood there, watching the odd procession come up to the platform.

"Excuse me," Dena said to the head guard, "my friends and I want to see the Mage, all four of us."

"No one sees the Mage unless summoned," the Captain responded, now looking irritated. He especially didn't like the onlookers from the remaining crowd. This was the very first time anyone had gone against the Mage's edicts.

"But this is Dena," Quen piped up. Now the Head Guard looked surprised.

"The one in message?"

"The one and only," Dena replied matter-of-factly.

"And you seek the Mage on this matter?" the guard said, his brows raised in curiosity.

"Hey, I'm the reason that old _wee-atch _from the north came down to bother you guys, and yes, I came here to do something about it," Dena pointed out, "so tell the Mage, will ya?"

"Royals, typical," one of the guards muttered while rolling his eyes. The Captain shushed him and turned back to Dena.

"I'll announce your request, highness," he said grudgingly, "wait here." With that the Guard Captain turned with his comrades and walked magically through the gates without looking back.

As soon as he was gone, Dena screamed,

"_Yes!_ We're finally gonna see the Mage! Whoo!" She jumped for joy and picked up Tahoe to twirl him around in the air.

"Brain, here I come," Quen said, though his enthusiasm was dampened.

"I think I'm getting a pulse just thinking about it!" Syrvic said excitedly.

"I'll be able to see Nana in time for dinner," Dena added.

"And I'll be King of the western woods!" Themen jumped with delight.

"What?" Dena said in surprise. Syrvic and Quen glanced over curiously.

"I always wanted to be king of the western forests," the griffin explained, "I just never had the courage to be one. It takes courage and bravery to rule, you know."

"Themen…I had no idea," Dena said in wonder.

"You're not gonna go back to rule Skerna Forest, are you?" Syrvic asked.

"No way!" the griffin started, "I wouldn't go back there in a million years, but there are other forests out there, just _crying _out for a griffin like me to rule them! And I would be able to fly too…maybe." Themen seemed to be having second thoughts about that last part.

"That would be fun, to fly," Dena said dreamily.

"Yeah, you could get out of a lotta sticky spots with flying," Quen added. Themen turned momentarily green at this, and then quickly got back to the king part of the conversation.

"I'd show all those big monsters living out there who was boss!" he declared, "nobody would think of me as a laughingstock again!"

"So, your majesty," Dena teased, "you wouldn't be scared of anything?"

"Nope, not a thing," the griffin said, pacing majestically along the platform. Though his behavior seemed more comical than kingly, but he didn't really notice Dena's giggling, or the amused smiles on Quen or Syrvic's faces.

Quen then remembered earlier that day, and why Dena had told him she was going to see the Mage in the first place.

"So…does this mean…you're leaving?" he asked the girl. Dena's smile faded at this, and she couldn't bring herself to look directly at him.

"Yeah," she said finally, "I guess it does. The Mage is the only one who has the power to get me back home."

"Do you have to go?" the scarecrow asked. Now the others were listening in. Dena was now finding it hard to speak.

"I—"

Boom! The foursome was interrupted by the Captain of the Guard's staff. For a second, Dena was thrown off-guard by how frazzled the Jadeite suddenly looked, as well as the fact that his clothing and armor looked oddly singed, with bits of smoke rising up from various spots. The Captain was absolutely livid, with an accusing glare aimed solidly at the group.

"Get out," he said in a low, dark voice. Dena and her friends all frowned in confusion.

"What?" Syrvic asked, speaking everyone's thoughts.

"_Get out!_" the man roared. He and both his comrades were then pointing their spears threateningly at the foursome.

"_I don't care _who_ you are or where you come from or what your rank is! The Mage will see no one and that is final! Leave!_" Dena and her friends backed away in fright at the sharpness in the man's voice, and they had no interest in challenging the now unfriendly-looking, sharp, emerald-tipped spears aimed at them. The guards then turned abruptly and vanished into the doors. The lights in the courtyard dimmed, and the few onlookers that had dared to stay and watch the "show" had fled, leaving Dena and her friends alone.

Alone…

"No…" Dena whispered in disbelief. Quen, Syrvic, and Themen all looked at her.

"No…" she whispered again, and something snapped in side her, her feet carrying her forward. Her steps grew faster, and her ears were deaf to her friends when they called out to her. Dena bashed into the green and gold doors as hard as she could.

"_NO! You can't do this to me!_" she cried out, her voice fueled by the sudden pain. She pounded on the now solid doors, not believing what she and her friends had just been told.

"_I went through _hell _to get here, you son of a motherless jackal! I almost died—several times! How can you do this to me? To us?_"

Dena pounded on the doors, screaming more obscenities and declarations that were totally unfit for a princess to say in public.

"_I almost got toasted! I almost got trussed up by a tree, burned by dogs, thrown over a ledge, hunted by mutants, poisoned by flowers, and _now _you say it's all over? How DARE you! You double-crossing bastard!_"

The girl then felt something grab her and drag her away from the doors. She screamed and fought against her captors, all the while going hysterical. This was _not _what she needed at this moment. But whoever held her was too strong for her to break free, and she kept it up like a madwoman. She fought and writhed against the living bonds that dragged her backwards, but Dena had been through too much. This had been a very trying and emotional day. She finally gave in to the sea of tears that had threatened to flow.

Quen had not been strong enough to handle Dena in this state, so he let the robot and the griffin drag her away towards the outer gates. Never, in the time they had known her, and any of Dena's friends seen her this upset. She didn't even seem to know it was her friends dragging her away, and she fought against them. It made Quen sad to see her like this, even more so than what the others felt.

Dena felt like a horrible chasm had opened in her chest, and a terrible weight settled on her soul. It couldn't have hurt worse if a knife had been plunged in there. She collapsed on the edge of the platform in a hysterical crying fit, no longer fighting Themen and Syrvic. She'd given up. After all she had been through; it seemed the greatest injustice of the universe to snatch away the one chance she had to go home.

The girl was only vaguely aware of leaning against Themen's furry, feathery shoulder, or Syrvic's hand on her own shoulder, or Quen wiping her eyes with his scarf and putting his straw-filled arms around her. She had lost sense of it all, just crying senselessly into the embrace of her friends, her tears soaking into fabric and feathers. After a while, Dena was able to form words again.

"I was gonna tell Nana I was sorry for running away," the girl sobbed, "She's done so much for me, and I took it all for granted." Her friends remained silent, listening as she poured out her despair. What none of them was aware of was the fact that someone else was listening as well.

A figure in a green and gold hooded robe had entered the courtyard on an errand and happened to catch the sound of someone weeping. He stopped and listened, soon realizing it was Princess Dena he was hearing, and at the same time he realized something terrible had happened. Oreyif drew closer and eavesdropped.

"…Adonnais said that she'd done a lot for me, that she loved me very much," Dena continued, sniffing, "A storm hit, and I was so scared that something had happened to her. The tornado hit before I could find her. I don't know if she's hurt, or if she's even still alive. And she was the last family I had after mom and dad died. I miss her…so much…" the girl couldn't say much more. She could barely even breathe; she had spent so much energy on her futile attack on the door.

Tears were now rolling down Oreyif's green cheeks. He'd seen the Mage turn away people before, but never had it had the kind of effects on his people as it did this girl. Apparently her situation was even more desperate than any of them had realized, that the Mage was her last hope. It made the Jadeite's heart go out to her and her friends.

"Confound you, you old bastard," the man muttered angrily, wiping his tears away.

He boldly went over to the door and slapped a jeweled panel with his hand. The Mage's guards emerged through the gate as before, walking straight through the seemingly solid doors like they weren't there. The Captain of the Guard looked irritated once more, but didn't say a word in Oreyif's presence.

"Let them in." Oreyif commanded, a hard look in his pine-green eyes. His words caused Dena and her friends to look up in surprise. The Captain was equally astonished.

"But…but Eminence…you know the law. No one can hold an audience with the Mage unless summoned," the man protested.

Dena, Quen, Syrvic, and Themen all got up, feeling very uncertain about what was going on in front of their very eyes.

"Eminence?" Dena repeated to her friends. All they could do was shrug.

Oreyif was not to be swayed. Although he was only an inch shorter than the other Jadeite, it was very clear he out-sized the Captain in authority. He drew back his hood.

"I said 'let them in,'" he repeated, raising his right hand, "by Order of the Liaison." A tattoo of a clockwork gear lit up in gold in the palm of Oreyif's hand, and the sight of it made the Captain and his two comrades step backwards a bit. The Captain bit his lip and touched the jeweled pad Oreyif had used moments before. With a slow moan and creak, the twelve-foot-tall gates slowly opened, revealing a vaulted green corridor that looked very dark at the end. It seemed odd now to see them open physically, after watching the guards pass in and out of them like ghosts.

By now Dena and her friends had cautiously come over to investigate. Dena met eyes with the Liaison, not realizing until now that there was more to this Oreyif than had first met the eye.

"Who are you?" she asked, not sure what else to say. The Jadeite's expression was unreadable.

"That's not important now. Go, all of you. Be careful of what you say, and don't be afraid." At this he gave a very pointed look at Themen.

"And if the Great Mage asks, tell him I sent you. Go! Now!" He urged the foursome in through the doors. After a few moments, he closed them again with the jeweled panel.

"He'll have your hide for this, you know," the Captain warned Oreyif.

"Better mine than theirs, Captain."

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The hallway seemed much darker and more foreboding after the doors shut. Dim green light filtered in, yet it was impossible to tell where it came from. The foursome kept close together, wary of anything. Despite the lack of noise (besides their footsteps) and the fact that they were indoors, Dena felt more fearful now than she had when she and her friends had set foot in Skerna Forest. There was no telling what they'd find in this place, and she had no idea what the Mage was like. Judging from the behavior of the Captain of the guards, there was something very unsettling about the whole situation.

Both Dena and Quen were very tense, Syrvic was wary, and Tahoe was extremely quiet, but Themen was an absolute wreck. The further in they went down the hall, the more he quaked, and the shorter his shallow breaths got. Halfway down the hall he cracked.

The griffin did the fastest one-eighty Dena had ever seen, (all the while whacking Syrvic in the legs with his tail), and darting down the hall. Fueled by the unintentional insult, the robot angrily rushed after the beast and tackled him twenty feet away from the gates.

"Not so fast, buster!" the robot snapped, holding the griffin tightly.

"I wanna go home!" Themen broke out in tears, "I'll be fine—just send me a postcard after you've seen him." With that he wailed and let out a shower of tears on the floor.

Dena and Quen rushed over to the griffin's side. The girl kneeled down and grabbed Themen's head, forcing him to look at her.

"Themen, look at me. Breathe…" It took some coaxing, but the griffin slowly calmed a tiny bit.

"You came to the Mage to get some bravery, right? Why are you running away from the very guy who can help you?"

"Because I'm t-too scared to ask him!" Themen blubbered.

"Would it help if we asked for you?" Dena offered. The griffin quieted down and thought for a second.

"Um…okay…" he said uncertainly. Syrvic felt Themen relax and very carefully got off him. Dena kept coaching the griffin in breathing deeply as they got him to his clawed feet and went back down the hall.

"It's all right Themen, we'll be right with you all the way," Dena soothed. Syrvic walked at Themen's other side, ready to grab him should he try to escape again. Quen remained at Dena's side as they made their way closer and closer to the dark doorway at the end.

The foursome cautiously passed through the vaulted archway into a room that was pitch-black. Everyone was tense, unsure of what was to happen. That was when a weird smell filled the room, a strange burning smell. Dena and her friends were then startled to see a ring of small, green flames light on the edges of what was revealed to be a large alcove leading to a much, much bigger room than they'd first realized.

"_Who dares to enter my chamber?" _

The foursome jumped in fright, not at all expecting the sharp, booming voice. It seemed to come from everywhere, and made the whole situation feel even worse. Dena would have asked who said that, but she realized she didn't have to.

"We did," she managed to call out a little too quietly into the darkness.

"_Forward! Now!" _ Dena and her friends yelped and screamed when they suddenly felt the floor beneath them rush away from the door. What they had thought was a solid floor was in fact a platform made of dark green rock, nestled against a "balcony" of sorts. They all ended up falling on their knees before scooting away from the platform's now uncomfortably close edges. The platform appeared to float across an immense chasm filled with green fire a great distance below, and at the far edges of the cavernous room, Dena could see green flames lighting up in succession as they moved, albeit quickly.

"Hang on and stay still," Quen told everyone. Themen didn't even try to bolt this time, but was frozen like a statue. Dena wondered if he'd suddenly gone catatonic. Tahoe, on the other hand, was oddly unaffected by this whole craziness, and it bothered his owner a great deal. It didn't take long for the platform to slow to a stop in the middle of the great void, while the flames raced down the sides of the room and met at the other end. It was then a great explosion of green fire flared up, lighting the room the entire way and revealing something that made the foursome gasp in shock.

Whatever it was, it looked vaguely human, and yet was something else too. It was made of the same green fire as the rest of the room's lighting, and yet more frightening and solid. It sat on a burning green throne that spewed smoke, and reminded Dena of a cross between some ancient god and a monster. The only thing she was certain of was that this had to be the guy they were looking for.

"_I am Eldan, Lord of all the lands you have seen and not seen, Ruler to those who carry the green flag of the Mage! Step forward and acknowledge! Who art thou?" _

"I'm Dorothy, Meek and Mild," Dena muttered sarcastically.

"Hey!" Syrvic hissed, nudging her.

"Okay, okay," she growled at him. The girl stood up and was pushed forward.

"Watch it," she warned, keeping an eye on the edge of the platform. It took her a moment to find her voice fore she called out,

"I go by the name Dena, Princess…I guess, we're here to ask—"

"—_Silence!" _the Mage boomed, nearly flattening Dena with the force of his voice, _"I know why you've come, why they all come. You think I can give you the things you selfishly desire? You! Automaton!" _

Before anyone could blink, a green lash of fire suddenly whipped out and grabbed Syrvic, making him fly through the air until the hapless robot was at eye level with the horrible, glaring visage the Mage possessed.

"_How _dare _you come ask me for a heart, you walking junk pile!" _It took Syrvic a moment to realize that the ribbon of green flame around his waist wasn't melting him, and to comprehend what the Mage was saying to him.

"Um, yeah," was all he managed to say before he was tossed back onto the platform like a metal rag doll.

"Syrvic!" Dena yelped, rushing over to see if he was okay. He turned out to be more shaken than damaged in any way, though he looked very bewildered.

"_As for you, scarecrow…" _the Mage thundered. At this Quen was groveling at the edge of the platform in two seconds, trying really hard not to freak out at another possible grab of green fire. It was one thing for him to feel fear at normal red fire, but this green fire was something else, and he was now feeling as much terror inside as Themen.

"_You have the audacity to assume I'll give you a brain? You billowing sack of cow cud!" _the monstrous apparition demanded.

"Hey!" Dena let out, angered by the insult towards Quen.

"That-that's right y-your worship—I mean your mageness!" Quen blurted out.

"_Enough! Such wind pours from your mouth!" _the Mage snapped.

"Look who's talking," Dena muttered.

The Mage cocked what constituted as his head to the side.

"_Ah, I see we have one more. Step forward griffin! What do _you_ want so badly that you can't live without?"_ Dena and Syrvic reluctantly went over and found that Themen was still able to walk, but he couldn't take his bulging, yellow, cat-like eyes off the Mage. They brought him forward, though now the beast was shaking violently, and his fur felt cold to the touch. If his dragon-like face had not been covered in fur, it would have been white as a sheet. For a second, he was absolutely silent.

"_Speak!" _the Mage exploded.

"Themen!" Dena cried out as the griffin collapsed onto the platform. She crashed to her knees and shook the beast, even slapping him in the face a few times to try and revive him. No dice. Now Dena was livid. She whirled on the Mage.

"How dare you!" she shouted, "We came to ask you for help, because you're the _only one_ who can, and all you do is turn around and spit in our faces! You call yourself a Mage? You're the world's biggest—"

"—_Quiet!" _the Mage snapped, blasting the edge of the platform with a green thunderbolt. Dena yelped and stumbled backwards into Syrvic's arms.

"Jiminy Horcromps!" the robot murmured.

"You said it, brother," Dena muttered, still startled by the lightning. Now she was starting to understand how the Captain of the Guard had gotten singed.

The Mage contemplated the little group before him before speaking again.

"_You are a troublesome bunch, but…I'm feeling generous today." _Dena blinked in surprise. She wasn't sure what she was hearing, and hoped against hope.

"_I will grant your requests, provided you can survive the test."_ The Mage declared.

"What?" Dena said.

"What?" Quen said in disbelief.

"What?" Syrvic was shocked.

"What? What did he say?" Themen said groggily, reviving from his faint.

"_To prove that you're worthy of my time, I give you only one task. Come before me again, _only_ when you possess the Black Norn's staff!" _

The foursome couldn't have been more floored if the Mage had flattened them with a giant hammer.

"Are you insane?" Dena cried out, realizing what he was asking, "She'll kill us!"

"That horror will _never _give up her staff so long as she's alive!" Syrvic added, "She's had it for centuries!"

"_You have your task before you," _the Mage declared, _"Bring her staff to me, and you shall have your requests granted. Now get out!" _

In the blink of an eye, the foursome found themselves back in front of the doorway to the vaulted green hall. How they'd missed the trip back on the platform was anybody's guess. But they were all grateful not to be so close to the chasm anymore. The Mage also looked more distant now, and was nothing more than a green pillar of flame at the other end of the room. However, Themen couldn't help but ask one more question.

"But what if we get killed first?"

"_I SAID GET OUT!" _the Mage's voice tore through the room and everyone's eardrums. Themen didn't have to be told twice, nor did anyone feel like stopping him now. He blasted out of there faster than a rocket and smashed through the nearest window to escape. Luckily, since they were on the first floor, he didn't hurt himself too much outside.

Meanwhile, Dena and her friends left as quickly as possible, and the girl had only one thing to say as they headed out.

"We are so toast."

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**Wow! Talk about earth-shattering :S Not only has the Mage been scary for them, but now he's asking for the impossible! How are Dena and her friends going to complete their task? **

**There will be more in the coming chapter, though it won't be what you guys expect. **

**They don't have hardly any facts about this scene in the **_**Wizard of Oz**_** film, though it's rumored that Frank Morgan's face was used as a model for the creepy head Dorothy and her friends saw. (He denied it, of course). **

**It has been interesting to note about the guard that denied Dorothy and her friends at first. People have noticed silly little things, like how his crazy mustache goes up or down, or the fact that when he cried after hearing about Aunt Em, his tears looked like they were coming out of his eyebrows instead of his eyes, lol. **

**The Lion's "King of the Forest" song always made me smile. When I watched _Wizard of Oz_ in that old 30s theater I mentioned in chapter 11, everybody laughed during that song :) People have always wondered how the Lion's makeshift crown could be pottery one minute, & yet bounce like rubber after the song was over & it fell off his head.  
**

**In the book, Dorothy and her friends each saw the Wizard separately, and each time he came in a different form when talking to them. Unlike in the film, the Wizard squarely told all of them to kill the Wicked Witch of the West, rather than bring her broomstick back. I think they changed the dialogue to make the movie a little less ominous, like with the skywriting. **

**Stick around for the next chapter :) and Happy New Year everybody! **


	22. Taken!

**Hi everybody, I'm back :) So now, Dena's friends have been given a task that will determine if the Mage will grant their wishes or not. But can they handle what is to come? **

**Music that helped inspire me for this chapter includes "The Plagues," from the **_**Prince of Egypt**_** soundtrack, and "Hard to Starboard," from the **_**Titanic **_**soundtrack.

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For so many centuries the dark witch been planning, for so long had she waited for this day, this hour, this minute; and now was the time. The Black Norn stood on an obsidian platform that jutted out from the side of her fortress. It overlooked the lower courtyard and breeding pens, where creatures resided that would soon serve as better soldiers than even her Wiks.

The Norn knew that Jaden would not be smart enough to give up the brat willingly, and more was the pity. They would soon learn their lesson. The powers in Eldan were shifting and she could feel it.

She uttered the sacred incantations that she had both studied and developed just for this event, making the power grow and light up both the symbols and Hellfire Light in her staff. It glowed a bright reddish-orange and lit up the platform, causing all eyes from below to look up at her. The Norn then plunged her staff into the hole in the center-most design on the platform and backed away, the malignant glee growing in her expression. The staff exploded in scarlet light and sent a red beam up into the sky, stirring the ever-present storm above and causing the dark clouds to swirl. More beams of red light speared out of the prongs in the staff, all of them falling on the breeding pens down in the fortress's lower courtyard.

The Black Norn uttered the dark mystical words that would add the final piece of magic to her design, the ending of which caused every single iron cage in the courtyard to burst open and explode in fiery lights, the red flames flaring up into great fountains around the Black Norn and the platform she stood upon. The light could be seen for miles.

Out of the blaze came the roars of a hundred beasts, monsters the Norn had been carefully cultivating and breeding for the past few centuries, and now they had reached perfection. They exploded up out of the courtyard in a great dark cloud, their ugly winged forms only briefly lit up by the magical flames before they streaked off through the dark, lightning-veined sky.

One such beast landed on the platform before his mistress, his unsightly countenance visible in the orange-red light. It was a gargoyle, with a humanoid trunk, arms, and legs, but that's where its similarities with humans ended. It had a horrid, dog-like face, horns, dark, leathery wings, and a spiked tail. Its red eyes looked in reverence to the Norn, growling out as best it could,

"What orders does my mistress have?"

"Bring me the chit and her dog," the witch ordered, "the others may do as they please with her friends, but the girl with the anklets her dog are what I want. I want them alive and undamaged. Be especially careful with the anklets she wears, those are the most important part. Fly now, my faithful servant—_FLY!_" The beast roared and took off to spread the message to his brethren, and it wasn't long before they rose into a great dark cloud that streaked away towards the south.

**~/~/~/~/~**

"Are you all right?" Quen had come into Dena's room later that evening. The girl had settled down for the night and was lying on her bed. She stroked Tahoe while staring out through the glass balcony doors, a lot on her mind at the moment. The girl sighed when she heard the scarecrow.

"Aside from our impossible suicide mission, and the fact that I'll never be able to go home, I'm doing great," Dena said unhappily. Quen joined her on the bed.

"I wish you didn't have to go…I was kinda…getting used to having you around." Dena rolled over and stared at him.

"You really want me to stay, don't you?" she murmured after a moment.

Quen now seemed a little embarrassed.

"It wouldn't be so bad. We could go on all sorts of adventures here. Eldan seems _full _of them these days. We might even find another way to convince the Mage to help us. You could live here in Jaden as a princess, with us…with me."

By now Dena was feeling a horrible sense of guilt, causing her heart to sink.

_Why does he have to do this to me? Right now?_ She quickly got off the bed, her sky blue satin nightgown whispering around her legs as she went over to the balcony doors.

"Dena, I'm sorry." Quen said sadly.

"About what?" the girl asked, turning to him.

"The kiss…in the garden." The scarecrow came over and put his hand on her shoulder.

"I promise I won't do it again. I know it hurts you." A faint smile formed on Dena's lips, though only briefly. She placed her hand on his.

"You don't need to promise that, Quen," Dena told him, "the kiss didn't hurt me. I hurt me." Now Quen was looking very confused.

"What?" he asked. Dena looked away.

"I hate myself, Quen."

"But why? I don't understand."

"I didn't think you would, but I know you'll understand that…I could never hate you. Never." She looked straight into his bright blue eyes and saw relief replace the chaos and confusion in them. Quen smiled and drew Dena into his arms, and though straw poked her all over, the girl couldn't have been more comforted at that moment.

That was when Dena heard an explosion outside.

"What the heck?" She went and opened the balcony doors. It wasn't until she and Quen reached the balcony railing that they saw what was going on below. Tahoe joined them and barked anxiously at the sight.

"Oh my God!" the girl gasped, "What are those things?" Quen was equally horrified.

It was like watching a World War Two air raid, except in the place of enemy planes; there were creatures that looked like bats from a distance. They were everywhere, howling, roaring, and attacking anything that moved in the city below. Fires could be seen sprouting up from various buildings, and curious green beams (from what Dena could only assume were sentry guns) were shooting wildly around at the flying black forms. The screams of frightened people could be heard from Dena and Quen's viewpoint, and fear was steadily grew in their hearts as they watched.

That was when the couple saw something black flying out of the sky towards them. It didn't take long to figure out that it was _not _friendly.

"Uh oh…oh crap! Run!" Dena grabbed Quen's hand and the two of them rushed back into her bedroom. They managed to close the glass doors and duck away two seconds before the aerial terror smashed through and crashed to the floor. Dena screamed and Quen stared wide-eyed.

The gargoyle was horribly ugly up close, and if Dena hadn't been terrified at the time, she would have been grossed out by the smell. It saw her and pounced. Quen's fear turned instantly to anger, causing him to jump in the way and punch the monster in the face. The move didn't exactly hurt the gargoyle, but it did startle the beast and snap Dena momentarily out of her paralyzed state.

She rushed over to the vanity table and grabbed the heavy green iron chair, throwing it at the gargoyle as best as she could. The monster howled in pain at the chair smashing him in the shoulder. Quen delivered another blow to the beast's neck before the creature sent him flying across the room.

"Quen!" Dena screamed. She was about to rush over to the scarecrow when three more gargoyles landed on the balcony. At the same time, the door to her room smashed open, revealing Syrvic and Themen.

"What the hell is going—_great hoobersnorts!_" Syrvic exclaimed. The first gargoyle snarled something to his comrades, and two of them immediately charged. Themen screamed and was gone out into the hall in a flash, while Syrvic got a mean look in his eye and charged the two gargoyles. He managed to deliver a smashing blow to one of them, sending it flying into the wall and leaving a crater in the mortar. Unfortunately the other one was on him in a second, attempting to rip his arms out.

Dena tried running out the door to the hall, but was caught by the first gargoyle. His arms were like iron chains, binding her to him as he headed for the balcony again. Dena screamed, kicked, and clawed at him, all to no avail.

"Let me go!" she screamed, trying with little success to bite him. Tahoe, on the other hand, was much luckier. The pup came charging in and bit the gargoyle hard on the leg. The beast snarled in pain, but he kept his grip on Dena while barking and snarling out an order to the last gargoyle. The third to have flown in grabbed the pup and joined his comrade on the balcony.

Quen recovered from having been thrown and saw Dena being hoisted outside.

"Let her go!" he roared, charging after the monstrous pair. However, his effort was thwarted by the gargoyle that had been thrown into the wall. While Syrvic still wrestled the other gargoyle, the one he'd punched had fallen down onto the floor and was now recovered from being stunned. The beast attacked the first thing it saw, which happened to be Quen.

It cruelly ripped into him, tearing apart his clothes and straw body. When Syrvic saw what was happening, he had his arms pinned up over his head and the other gargoyle was trying to break him in half. He grew especially livid at seeing what had happened to his friend, and finally smashed the gargoyle's foot with his own metal one, causing the creature to let go and grab its foot in pain. The robot then grabbed the thing's ugly head and broke its neck with a loud crunch before lighting on the other gargoyle.

By now Quen was lying in a mess on the floor, straw everywhere, and the monster was getting ready to rip his head apart. The creature then shrieked when a series of holes were suddenly burnt into its wings and back. Syrvic immediately wrapped his metal arm around the gargoyle's neck and dragged it quickly towards the balcony.

"All right, you," the robot growled at him, "it's time you took a ride on the Air Express." He ended up hurling the howling gargoyle over the balcony railing to its doom. He then rushed in to tend to Quen.

"You okay?" the robot asked.

"Do I _look _okay?" the scarecrow shouted, looking more distressed than Syrvic had ever seen him.

"I was trying to see if you were still alive," Syrvic said flatly.

"What happened?" Themen asked, poking his dragon-like head through the doorway.

"_Where the hell were you?_" Syrvic snapped at him, "_I coulda used some back-up!_"

"Please!" Quen interjected, not wanting the robot to waste time, "Just put me back together!" Themen's eyes widened as he came over and saw Quen's torn-up state.

"What on earth happened to you?" he wanted to know. The scarecrow gave a quick re-cap as Syrvic started gathering the straw together into a pile.

"Syrvic!" he said urgently, "Where's Dena?" The robot took a look out the doorway to the balcony, now jagged with broken glass, and realized what had happened. He looked reluctantly back down at the scarecrow before saying,

"I'm sorry, Quen. She's gone, they took her."

* * *

**Oh no! :O They got Dena! What are her friends going to do now? And will they be able to re-assemble Quen? Keep an eye out for the next chapter everybody.**


	23. The Test Begins

**Hey guys, back from Hiatus Land. I haven't updated in a while because my computer was in the shop for three weeks in April, (word to the wise, don't get your computer repaired at Fry's Electronics, 'nuff said); I was sick for most of May, plus I had writer's block **_**and **_**was writing two**** chapters. But hey, everything's okay now, so on with the show ;)  
**

**Things are getting really heated up, now that Dena and her friends have been separated. What will they do now?**

* * *

"We need to go after her, we have to rescue her!" Quen insisted.

"Hold your horses, pal," Syrvic said, "I'm not even done with your leg. This is _not_ the time to go running off to be a knight in shining armor." Nearly an hour had passed as Syrvic and Themen worked to patch up their straw-filled friend. It had been difficult recovering the straw in the midst of the mess the previous battle had left, and even worse, the scarecrow's clothes were torn, some of it to shreds. Themen helped as best as he could to patch Quen up, but there was only so much the griffin could do. Despite often using his front paws like hands, he wasn't quite as dexterous as Syrvic, and ended up mostly pushing the straw into piles next to the robot.

The door then burst open, revealing a very harried-looking Oreyif and a small group of guards. His pine-green eyes widened in shock at the state of the room.

"What happened here?" he wanted to know.

"Dena's been taken," Quen answered instantly, "those…_things _stole her away." It seemed almost like the scarecrow was ready to cry. That was a look of understanding crossed Oreyif's face.

"Now I understand this attack," he said slowly, not liking at all what was unfolding before him, "all the beasts have gone…for now."

"And where were you?" Syrvic demanded, "Last time we checked, this city was protected by a shield." Oreyif frowned at the robot's snappish behavior.

"Normally it only takes three minutes for the shield to activate, but one of those monsters knocked out a generator on the lower levels, disrupting the entire system until the program could compensate. The shield is active now, but from what you say, it looks like it was too late."

"Ya don't say," Syrvic said dryly as he finished one of Quen's legs, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Oreyif quickly told one of the guards to send for a seamstress, while the others were sent off to do damage control around the palace. He then walked over to the broken balcony doors, his green boots crunching over chunks of mortar and glass.

"What happened here?" the Jadeite repeated as he looked outside, "I want to hear all of it."

Syrvic, Quen, and Themen all told him about the attack, bit by bit. Near the end of it the guard returned. "All the servants have fled to the basement shelters, Eminence," the man reported, "I couldn't budge any who could use a needle. They're all too frightened."

"What?" Oreyif exclaimed, his eyes wide in surprise and outrage. However, he saw the look on the guard's face.

"Very well," he told the man, "return to your duty, I'll take it from here." Immediately he strode over to Quen's side, where Syrvic and Themen had piled the worst of Quen's torn up clothing.

"You know how to sew?" Quen asked dubiously.

"Hardly," the Jadeite replied. He made a very subtle wave of his hand, and all of Quen's clothing was restored, including the shredded pants that Syrvic and Themen had been trying to re-stuff without success. The threesome gasped in surprise.

"Whoa!" the robot said, "How did you do that?"

"Lots of practice," was the only thing the Jadeite said before kneeling down and joining in re-assembling Quen. He refused to answer any of their questions about the subject.

"The Mage told me about your journey," Oreyif said, "it seemed like such a fantastic tale that I almost didn't believe him."

"How did he know about us?" Quen asked as Syrvic re-stuffed his other arm.

"One of the Mage's abilities allows him to know everything that's going on in Eldan," the Jadeite explained, "there is nothing that happens that he doesn't know about, and it is in this way he can truly govern the people."

"So he knows why the Black Norn has a bone to pick with Dena," Themen guessed. Oreyif nodded.

"And it appears that she might get her way…" his voice trailed off.

"No!" Quen objected, "We can't! It would mean the end of everything!"

"Indeed, scarecrow," Oreyif agreed, "which is why, when you are back in one piece, I'm going to help you three get going."

"I don't get it," Themen said as he handed Syrvic another pile of straw.

"Don't worry, you'll see," the Jadeite informed them.

With Oreyif's help and Syrvic's quick movements, Quen was back together after another half an hour. His friends helped him to his feet, though he was a bit shaky at first. Themen was helping Quen steady himself when Syrvic noticed something on the floor. It was a small purple orb that pulsed softly. It had rolled over next to the bed, and Syrvic would have missed it completely, had he not heard its low, soft rhythm. He carefully picked it up, examining it, surprised that it gave off a heat signature. But then again, everyone in the room gave off a heat signature, even Quen. He saw the scarecrow staring at it, worry written all over his face.

"What is this?" the robot asked. Quen quickly snatched it from him.

"It's nothing—a…present…from Dena." Syrvic frowned at him for a moment, not sure what to think as his friend stuffed the trinket into his sleeve.

"Come," Oreyif told the threesome, "I have a means for you to help Dena."

The group quickly followed the green man as he swept out the door. It wasn't long before they walked into a very large room that had a high ceiling, green glass walls on three sides, and hundreds of vehicles made specifically for flight moored in. It was the great airship hangar of the palace, and once again Dena's three friends found themselves marveling at the various vehicles parked inside. However, the atmosphere was very tense. There were mechanics and soldiers in green armor everywhere. The giant doors yawned open at the far end of the hangar, giving everyone a full view of the city below as well as the clouds of smoke and damage left behind.

Airships that resembled shards of green crystal were being set up in rows along the central walkway. Quen, Syrvic, and Themen looked curiously over at a large group of Jadeite soldiers dressed in light armor, doing drills in front of the fliers.

"What's going on?" the scarecrow asked.

"I've mobilized air-support," Oreyif explained, "the city is on high-alert now, and we can't take any more chances."

"What does all this have to do with us helping Dena?" Themen wanted to know. The tall Jadeite led them over to a quieter, less-crowded area of the hangar.

"The only real way to travel in Eldan, my height-challenged friend, is by air," Oreyif said, bringing them over to a small, but very elegant-looking airship that was being set up by workers. It was twenty feet long and vaguely resembled a boat, save for the fact that it had a gleaming hull of green metal, engines in the back, some peculiar apparatuses in the front, and a torpedo-shaped balloon made of some metallic green fabric suspended above.

"Are you serious?" Syrvic said in amazement, "This is ours?" Oreyif nodded.

"This is the fastest way you're going to be able to get to the Black Norn's kingdom to rescue Dena. This was originally outfitted for the four of you to take in the next few days, but since circumstances have changed…" Oreyif's voice trailed off for a moment. He took in the three friends' expressions before continuing.

"How you dispatch the witch is your business, and I highly suggest you get creative." he told them.

"How are we supposed to finish her off?" Syrvic demanded, "She's too powerful."

"And have you seen her fire magic?" Quen added, shivering, "She'll roast us alive before we can even get close."

"And I am _not _going up in that thing," Themen said firmly, "you know I'm afraid of heights."

Oreyif twisted his mouth in a peculiar fashion, not at all amused by the excuses he was being peppered with.

"Gentlemen," he said, placing his arms on Syrvic and Quen's shoulders and facing Themen, "I'm going to convey the facts to you, straight and simple. Your friend Dena has been delivered into the hands of the Black Norn, with no way to defend herself, and completely at the witch's mercy. From what I have seen so far, you all care a great deal for her; otherwise you wouldn't have fought so valiantly for her during the attack. We Jadeites can do little at this point, with the city recovering from the onslaught. We are a mostly peaceful people, with nary an army large enough to defend more than just this city. You three are her _only _hope of rescue, and dare I say it, the _only _ones who can vanquish the Black Norn at this time. Without you, Dena will be dead in a matter of hours. If you gentlemen truly care about the young lady, you will do everything in your power to save her. Am I right?"

The trio was silent for a moment, before Quen said, "Yes."

Syrvic nodded, and then had to nudge Themen before he muttered, "Yeah, sure."

Satisfied, Oreyif got down to business, showing them how the airship had been outfitted for a fast journey out to the north, as well as the various pieces of equipment that had been put onboard. He then picked up a device that looked like a small brass gun and pointed it at Syrvic's single eye.

"Hold still," he told the robot, making a green light turn on in the little device's "barrel." A second later Oreyif turned off the light and put the tool back on a nearby table. Syrvic blinked in confusion for a moment.

"What was that—whoa! What in the Mage's name did you do to me?" the robot exclaimed. His vision was suddenly bombarded with schematics and codes flying all over the place.

"I inserted information into your processor regarding how the airship works and how to pilot it," Oreyif explained, "You seem the most technically adept and you will be the only one who can learn fast enough. Don't worry, the effects will settle in a moment." The others saw how right the green man was when Syrvic calmed down.

"Wow," was all the robot could say, shaking his metal head.

"What's this for?" Quen asked as Oreyif handed him and Syrvic utility belts.

"You didn't think I was going to let you three head off into the north without any protection, were you?" the Jadeite said.

With that he procured a number of interesting weapons from a nearby table and outfitted both Syrvic and Quen with them. Oddly enough, it didn't look as if they were really armed when the Jadeite was finished with them, although Quen had considerably more items than Syrvic.

"Do we really need all this stuff?" the scarecrow asked as he glanced at the various items strapped to him or hidden in his clothing.

"You never know what will come in handy when on a mission like this," Oreyif said as he finished outfitting Syrvic.

"Who says I need more than these?" the robot asked, crossing his wrists to show off his lasers. Oreyif glanced at him for a moment.

"I would not rely entirely on your cutting beams if I were you. However, from what the Mage has told me, you all have been resourceful in your adventures, so I will not entirely doubt you."

"Hey, what about me?" Themen asked, "Don't I get anything?"

"These are not exactly presents, griffin," Oreyif informed him, "They are tools that might save your lives. However, I did not leave you out."

With that, he unrolled a dark green cloth that had a handful of smooth, oval stones, all of them jade, none of the same color. He brought the stones over to Themen, and placed a purple one on his paw. Before the feathered, furry beast could blink, it disappeared into his skin. Syrvic and Quen had been watching at the time, and all three jumped in surprise.

"What are these doo-dads?" Themen asked. Oreyif placed an oval of orange jade on the griffin's forehead, which in turn disappeared into his skin as well.

"These stones are designed to help enhance natural gifts the user has."

"I have gifts?" Themen asked, dumfounded.

"Duh," Syrvic said, rolling his single eye. Oreyif gave him a look before answering.

"Aside from your lack of courage, I'd say you have a number of them." He placed the other stones on odd areas of Themen's body, each disappearing into his skin, though the griffin didn't feel any of it.

"Will they stay in there forever?" Themen asked when the Jadeite placed the last stone.

"No. They will fall out in three days' time, but I'm sure it'll be more time than you three need to fulfill your mission." Oreyif informed them. When he finished, he inspected Quen, Syrvic, and Themen before saying with satisfaction, "It's time to go, gentlemen. I wish you luck on your mission."

Both Quen and Syrvic were eager to get underway, but Themen immediately started protesting again about the airship.

"Come on Themen," Quen told the griffin, "just do what you did when we came into Jaden. Lie down on the bottom and cover your eyes." Themen frowned before reluctantly going up on deck. Pretty soon the moorings were untied and drawn into the ship, and Syrvic activated the engines. Oreyif and the maintenance workers backed away as the ship rose into the air and headed towards the hangar entrance.

"Farewell gentlemen!" Oreyif called after them. As the airship rose up higher and higher out and above the city of Jaden, a thrill went through Quen. Although he was worried and nervous, he was also excited that they were finally headed north to rescue the girl he loved…

**~/~/~/~/~**

Dena awoke with a harsh, solid, icy wind in her face. Her head ached and her limbs felt like blocks of stone. It took her a moment to orient herself, and when she did she gasped in shock. She was thousands of feet up in the air, in her nightgown, riding on the back of a hideous gargoyle. That was when it all came flashing back.

Dena had fought as violently as she could against her captor soon after he took off. The prospect of falling to her death had taken a backseat to simply getting out of his grasp; though soon after the gargoyle and his comrade were a mile outside of the city, he'd bashed his thick skull against the back of Dena's head, causing her to black out. Now the girl found herself not in his arms, but strapped to his back with thick, rough ropes.

_They must have tied me on in mid-air,_ the girl thought, glancing around. She saw more gargoyles surrounding them in a loose flock, and a whimper from nearby made her heart jump anxiously.

"Tahoe!" she let out involuntarily. She found the little pup still in the grasp of the gargoyle flying next to hers. Evidently the German shepherd hadn't required the same treatment as her, but he still looked terrified.

A flash of lightning and an ominously close boom jarred Dena's nerves, and she looked up to see dark storm clouds above. It was almost completely dark around her, save for the lightning flashes, revealing a land far below that looked nothing like Jadeite lands, or even the parts of Eldan she'd seen so far. The land was folded and distorted by rough, craggy mountains, crevasses, and great rivers of glowing red lava. The stench of sulfur and molten rock had begun to assault Dena's nose, and she coughed, the ashy air reminding her uncomfortably of the wildfire in the cornfield…

What had happened to Quen? Or Syrvic? Or even Themen for that matter? Dena had seen them fighting the gargoyles that had invaded her room, but she couldn't even begin to think of what had happened after she left. Were they all right? Had Jaden survived the attack? Pain rushed into her heart at the thought of Quen getting hurt, and tears stung her eyes for a moment before the wind dried them out again. It was because of her that these monsters had ravaged Jaden and caused her friends to risk their lives for her. She crushed away the feeling as best as she could, but the guilt weighed heavily on the girl.

Dena was startled by a great, rumbling explosion from below, and soon saw a volcano in the process of erupting. Great rivers of glowing hot lava spewed forth from its peak, lighting up the blackened, bone-dry landscape. Dark storm clouds hung over the land like a roof, not lending any hint that the sun had ever shown its face here. The girl then saw more volcanoes lighting up the place, and watched as scores of…things, darker than the volcanic rock…scampering in great herds below her. She had no idea what these beasts were, but they didn't look friendly. The girl then saw great, even lines of lights below her, and even from this distance she recognized the glinting armor of the Wiks, though these seemed to number in the thousands, all mobilized for war. Dena wasn't sure she wanted to think about what their presence was supposed to mean.

It was then a gust of wind caused the darkened clouds of ash and smoke to part and reveal yet another jaw-dropping wonder to Dena's eyes, albeit an menacing one. It was as if a colossal giant had broken the peak off a mountain (or even a volcano in this case), and carved it to roughly resemble a witch's hat, and then left it floating nearly a thousand feet over a vast stone cauldron of lava and sulfurous pools. Long, thin streams of glowing red lava flowed from unknown sources high in the fortress down into what vaguely looked like a moat around the caldera below, and craggy towers rose up from the wide "brim" of the black stone hat, the tallest tower being the "peak" of the hat. The gargoyles were headed down towards the great stone wonder, and it was at this point that Dena knew what it was.

"So this is where the Black Norn lives," she murmured to herself. She then heard the gargoyles grunt below and around her.

_Looks like the Jadeites aren't the only ones to make buildings that float, _the girl thought as they flew closer.

Although it wasn't as big as Jaden, the Black Norn's fortress was definitely a big place, and the closer the flock of gargoyles got, the more frightened Dena became. She had to figure out a way to get free, and fast. The girl was startled when the gargoyle she was tied to suddenly took a dive and flew down in a spiral towards the great stone hat. As they circled the taller towers, Dena could vaguely hear shouts below and saw Wik guards everywhere, and there were more in the various courtyards doing military drills. She also saw aerial patrols of Wiks flying through the air around in small groups on what looked like evil clouds with toothy maws. The girl didn't get a chance to watch for long, for the gargoyles then flew into a tighter spiral towards the tallest tower, the peak of the witch's hat.

The ugly winged beasts landed on the great stone balcony. Dena remained calm as her gargoyle crouched to let one of his comrades untie her. The moment her arms and legs were unbound, the girl immediately squirted out from underneath the beast's claws and made a run for it. Her escape was cut off, however, when another of the gargoyles laughed evilly and snagged her arm, nearly twisting it out of its socket as he thrust her back to the very first to have captured her. The two of them held her arms tightly, but that didn't deter her will to fight.

"Let me go you freaks!" she yelled as they dragged her into the room.

The Black Norn watched this calmly, the taste of victory very close at hand. The two gargoyles wrestled Dena over to her, and despite the girl's fire, she still ended up face-to-face with the witch. The Norn's expression was calm and somewhat smug.

"Welcome _highness_," she said rather mockingly, "How nice of you to visit. It gets so lonely around here, doesn't it boys?" The various gargoyles and Wiks in the room snickered at this.

"Drop dead!" Dena spat before she got a sharp slap in the face. The Black Norn didn't look the least bit interested in taking any crap from Dena at that moment. The gargoyle carrying Tahoe then landed in the room.

"Finally," the witch commented, "at least _someone _can follow orders properly." She shot a nasty look at some of the Wiks before snapping her fingers.

"Bring her."

The witch headed out of the room with the gargoyles and Wiks following in succession. Dena had no idea what was going to happen and didn't really want to think about it. She fought so hard now that two more gargoyles ended up aiding her original captors and grabbed her legs, carrying her completely off the ground. The entire motley procession went down the stairs and out into the main courtyard, where hundreds of Wiks and other monsters had gathered to witness the capture of the one person the Black Norn had been after for days.

Despite how much she fought, Dena found herself hoisted into a chamber with a high, vaulted ceiling. The central focus of the room was a dais with a black and red stone altar. When Dena saw the chains, it was then she had a horrible feeling she knew what was coming next.

"Put her on the altar," the Black Norn commanded. Dena struggled and screamed, lashing out at the gargoyles as they forced her down onto the platform and chained up her wrists and ankles. Tahoe barked, growled, and snarled with fury at seeing his owner treated so roughly. He bit and clawed the gargoyle that held him, but the beast was too strong for the puppy to break free, and he ended up having his muzzle held shut by the monster's claws.

Slade came forth with General Okkin to present the Black Norn with a black tray covered in a dark, blood-red cloth. On this tray lay a beautiful, yet wicked-looking knife with a red and black handle.

"Your blade, my Queen," General Okkin bowed in reverence. The Norn placed her staff into a special alcove and took up the blade, delighted at how its crafting had turned out. Like her staff, this knife had spells woven into it as well, though its purpose was not quite as magical. The witch could have actually done what she was planning with any blade, but this happened to be her favorite for making sacrifices. This sacrifice in particular would be of the greatest importance the Black Norn would ever make.

Dena was still fighting as the witch approached the altar, but the moment the girl saw the knife she freaked. Her throat was sore from all the screaming, but she still pulled and kicked at the iron rings that gripped her wrists and ankles. She was determined not to make this easy for the Black Norn. What nobody really noticed, however, were the tiny red sparks flicking up from the direction of Dena's feet.

The Black Norn watched the girl struggle for a moment before shouting,

"Enough!" Her voice cut through the entire chamber, startling everyone, including the gargoyles and Wiks watching. Even Dena was shocked enough to stare in horror as the Black Norn came over.

"It's about time I removed this thorn from my side," the witch said. Dena spit at her, causing the witch to jump back in revulsion.

"Why you little—" She delivered a sharp slap to the girl's face, making her cry out in pain.

"No matter how much you fight, I'll still kill you, brat. This is a moment of glory I _don't _intend to miss."

She touched one of Dena's arms, and a very frightening calm settled over the girl. She lay there, magically petrified into watching the Black Norn. Her heart was pounding and her body trembled as if every nerve had been stretched tight in fear. As the witch raised her dagger with both hands, ready to pierce Dena's heart and take the Ruby Anklets from her, the girl shut her eyes tight. She remembered the witch's attack on Jaden the night before and thought in her last moments, _I really wish I had a shield right now_.

And with that, the knife fell…

* * *

**Ah! Ah! Ah!—don't slam the book shut yet. Have a little faith in me. Is Dena gonna die and the Black Norn win? Or will her friends save her in time? You be the judge, but you now see why I wrote two chapters. I couldn't leave you guys hanging like that, so I'll be updating with the next one precisely one week from today. **

**The design for the airship Dena's friends are flying is based off of the one the sky pirates used in "Stardust," (love that movie ^^). I was inspired by Phoenix-06's "floating castle concept" from DeviantArt for the Black Norn's fortress, since I'm sure some of you were curious as to what it looked like. And now you know ;) **

**The music that inspired Dena's waking up and seeing the Black Norn's fortress for the first time was "Alice's Theme," from the 2010 "Alice in Wonderland" soundtrack. **


	24. Terror in the Skies

**Well, it's been a week. Let's see what new trial our heroes will face…**

* * *

Dena waited for the killing blow, and winced when she heard a _thwack_, but after a moment, she realized something wasn't right. Where was the pain? Why were the Wiks and gargoyles watching all gasping in shock? And what was that weird noise above her.

The girl opened an eye and then opened both wide in astonishment.

"Oh my God!" she said.

The Black Norn's knife was hovering six inches above the girl's chest, buried in a pinkish-red transparent dome of energy that had formed out of nowhere. Even the Norn was alarmed and caught completely off-guard by this. She abruptly pulled the knife away and stared in disbelief at Dena for a moment. She then tried stabbing her again, but the silver blade met the shield once more.

"Impossible!" she roared. The witch attempted to stab Dena a few more times before it became apparent that the blade could not come any closer than six inches to the girl.

The Black Norn then threw down the knife in disgust and stomped over to Dena's feet. She attempted to seize the Ruby Anklets, only to be met with a violent explosion of pinkish-red light that let off a booming crescendo. The blast sent the Black Norn flying backwards through the air, landing in a heap next to the far wall.

"Wow," Dena murmured, shocked and relieved at the same time that she wasn't joining her parents so soon. The girl had felt nothing from the explosion, though her ears were ringing a little from the noise.

"Majesty!" Slade exclaimed, the first of the males in the room to react. He rushed over and crouched at the Black Norn's side, wondering what exactly had happened. He was relieved to see his mistress sit up, the look on her face absolutely livid. A ghostly halo of fire flared up around her, revealing the extent of her ever-present rage. Though this time, it was both towards Dena _and _herself. It was one thing to have lost those precious anklets to the worthless chit on the altar. It was another to be totally humiliated at both having her crowning moment thwarted, as well as forgetting what happens when one tried to snatch a witch's anklets from her without permission. Never in over five centuries had she slipped up so bad. The Norn returned to her feet quickly, causing Slade to back off to avoid getting burnt by the fire.

"Get that brat off the altar and take her to my chambers in the tower!" she roared, her voice practically scorching the Wiks and gargoyles around her, "I'll find another way to kill her later."

Neither Dena, nor the Norn had any idea where the shield had come from, though the witch had a gnawing suspicion at the back of her skull. She watched as Dena, having now recovered from her near-death experience and the fading paralysis spell, struggled with the two Wik guards that removed the chains and dragged her away towards the tower. As soon as the girl was gone, the Black Norn ordered everyone from the room, too furious to want company of any sort.

"Sorceress!" a voice called. The witch whirled and sent a fireball at the door where the voice had come from, hating being bothered at this time. Thankfully the messenger ducked out, though the stone doorway was now burning hot with embers and had small fires ablaze around it. The messenger was a young Wik soldier, and he peeked cautiously into the room as the witch and Slade approached, now frightened into silence.

"Well? What is it?" the Black Norn barked at him, causing the soldier to jump. He swallowed and then said,

"Border Patrol has sighted an unknown aerial vehicle headed this way. Configuration matches that of the Jadeites."

"_What?_" the witch roared in alarm.

"Slade, crystal now!" she ordered. In an instant the black-clad man produced a flat tablet the size of a small dinner plate from his coat. The entire thing was constructed out of the same clear stone as the Black Norn's crystal ball in her tower room, allowing it to relay images the witch called up for spying on others when she had no time to go upstairs.

The moment the Norn snatched up the tablet, an image appeared on the flat surface, showing a green metal airship resembling a boat with an oval-shaped balloon suspended above it. It was flying quickly over the mountains that marked the southernmost border of the Black Norn's kingdom. Peering closely, the witch made the image magnify, allowing her to see the passengers. She recognized a familiar-looking robot at the controls, a man made of straw, and could just see the bulk of a certain griffin huddled on the floor of the main deck. Her eyes narrowed, and she shoved the crystal tablet back at Slade.

"I knew those three were trouble," she growled, storming out of the chamber. Slade followed, listening as he hid the tablet back in his coat.

"First it was them _protecting _that wench on the road, now they're coming to her rescue!" she snarled.

"Someone is always protecting that girl!" the witch complained, heading towards a special platform in the courtyard.

"What does my Queen intend to do?" Slade dared to ask, "They are only thirty leagues away, and moving fast." The Black Norn whirled on him.

"I'll _stop _them is what I'll do!" she snarled, "and this time I'll do it, personally…"

**~/~/~/~/~**

The airship passed quietly over the ever-darkening mountains below. Quen, Syrvic, and Themen had found it troubling that dawn had failed to show itself. Despite what the chronometer had said on the ship's control panel, the land around them remained dark, and seemed to grow darker the further north they went. Syrvic then remembered hearing in a legend that the sun never showed itself in the Black Norn's kingdom, and it became clear that they were getting close.

Quen leaned on the green metal gunwale, worrying about Dena. He had seen firsthand what the Black Norn was capable of, and it made him shudder to think of what she could do on her own turf. He could only hope along with his friends that the girl was still alive. It made his heart hurt and then burn with anger if that horrible she-monster laid one finger on his beloved. At remembering the orb, he looked around before carefully taking it out of his sleeve and replacing it in his chest. The scarecrow then heard Themen moan pitifully. He came over and crouched next to the griffin, feeling curious.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"I feel awful," Themen said sadly.

"Is it because of the flight?" Quen guessed.

"No," the furry, feathered beast replied, "I feel guilty about...you guys and…Dena." A tear rolled down Themen's furry cheek, and he shifted his gaze away from the scarecrow and robot, unable to face either.

"Why do you feel guilty?" Quen asked, putting a hand on the griffin's feathery withers.

"I wish I could have helped you guys. Maybe with my help we could have saved her from those…" He shivered, "_things_. But when I saw them, I got so scared…"

"So you admit it," Syrvic suddenly chimed in, turning. "You _admit_ you were too much of a coward to have been some use to Dena?" It appeared the robot had been eavesdropping, though he wasn't feeling very sympathetic at the moment.

"I never said I wasn't," Themen told him, "my kind are supposed to be fierce fighters. I can't tell you how ashamed my…fear makes me."

"So you weren't being selfish," Quen figured. Themen looked sharply at him.

"I _was _being selfish!" the griffin snapped, "I let my own cowardice get in the way of helping Dena! She and you two are the only friends I've ever had, and I failed her. I don't know how you two do it, fight without being scared. You're only made of straw, and yet you were brave towards monsters that almost tore you to pieces. I don't know how you do it."

"Well, it helps not to have a brain," Quen joked.

"I don't think it has to do with brains," Themen pointed out, "it has to be something else. How did you do it?" It took a moment for Quen to answer.

"Umm…I…I guess I was so angry that the monster was going to hurt Dena that…I'm not sure…maybe I was angrier than I was scared. Don't get me wrong, I was terrified, but I wasn't gonna let him hurt her. I didn't care what happened to me. I only cared what happened to her." Themen smiled a little, and Syrvic couldn't help smiling to himself as well. It warmed both of them to see Quen's dedication towards the girl who had brought them all together.

The moment was broken by an alarm going off at the controls.

"What's going on?" Quen asked, joining Syrvic.

"We got company," the robot said grimly.

"I don't see anything," the scarecrow said, squinting into the distance.

"The radar does," Syrvic told him, pointing at the round indicator on the panel. It showed a whole flock of…something…headed their way from the north.

"What are those things?" Quen wanted to know.

"Probably more of the Black Norn's pets," the robot said angrily. Themen let out a whimper behind them, though both friends ignored him.

It didn't take long for the aerial beasts to show themselves. An entire swarm of what resembled giant, scarlet and black wasps came soaring out of the darkness, ready to take on the small airship. Syrvic immediately started pushing buttons and powering up controls.

"What are you doing?" Quen asked.

"Figuring out what this baby can do," the robot replied.

"Hang on!" he yelled as the engines powered up in the back of the airship. Quen managed to grab the railing next to the controls, but Themen was thrown backwards against the rear gunwale. His howl of terror grew as the airship picked up speed. Syrvic nosed the ship downwards, dragging the balloon above and blasting away at speeds that were no doubt unsafe. Despite the giant wasps' attack velocity, the airship went roaring away at twice their speed in the other direction, going _under _the swarm and leaving them in the dust. Their attack plan thwarted, the wasps got into a huge commotion and bumped into one another, causing chaos in the swarm.

"Hah-_hah!_" Syrvic whooped in triumph, "Eat exhaust, freaks!"

"Look out!" Themen shrieked when he opened his eyes a little bit. The threesome hadn't anticipated a _second _swarm behind the first, and this one was ready for them. All three of the airship's occupants screamed as the wasps slammed into the airship like a hurricane wind, buffeting the vehicle with their uneven weight. Up close, the wasps were the size of large dogs, making them a hundred times worse than your average yellow-jacket. Themen was forced to rip off the wasps biting into him, while Quen and Syrvic leaped into action.

"It's laser-time, boys!" the robot yelled, slicing several wasps in half that were attempting to puncture the balloon.

"How in the Mage's name do you use this thing?" Quen muttered, ripping a pistol from his belt. He unwittingly shot a wasp attempting to sneak up from behind him in the head, causing him to whip around and see it drop away. He followed Syrvic's example and shot at other giant wasps coming after him. However, it didn't take long for Syrvic and Quen to realize this was a losing battle, no matter how hard they fought. Things got especially bad when the first swarm came in to join the second one. It didn't take long for the balloon to get punctured and enough suspension lines ripped in half before the airship started to lose altitude permanently.

Seeing the drop first, Syrvic quickly slapped a red button and grabbed Quen; leaping through the cloud of wasps and throwing them free of the airship.

"_Themen, jump!_" the robot yelled, amplifying his voice to an almost painful volume. The griffin did so without even thinking, his only thought of getting away from the monstrous insects. They seemed to lose interest in the falling occupants, their focus only on destroying what was left of the airship. The monsters failed to notice a beeping sound on the control panel in front of the ship, and the whole thing exploded in a huge green fireball, cooking every single wasp attached in emerald flame. The wasps flying nearby were caught up in the shock-wave and flayed alive as well.

The three friends plummeted through the air like stones, a skydive from hell. The wind whistled past them, and there was only one thing Syrvic could think of to save them.

"_Themen, help!_" he yelled, having never thought he'd ask the griffin for anything.

"_How can you ask me that at a time like this?_" Themen cried out, almost going hysterical.

"_Open your damned wings and you can save us!_"

"_What?_" the griffin shrieked.

"_Open your wings, dammit!_" the robot repeated, the ground only a few thousand feet below and getting close. Unable to do much else, Themen took a deep breath and snapped out his wings as quickly as he could, totally unprepared for the sudden lift that left his stomach behind and slowed his fall.

"_That's it!_" Quen yelled in encouragement.

"_Now fly towards us!_" Syrvic instructed. The best the griffin could do was soar in their direction, and nosing down made him fall at an angle.

_The Mage save my big broken body_, Themen prayed as he fell under his friends.

Syrvic managed to grab a hold of the griffin's neck feathers with one hand while pulling Quen in behind him with the other. Once secure, he grabbed Themen's feathery ears and pulled on them. Themen was painfully forced to point upwards and clumsily climbed a little with his wings.

"Stop that! It hurts!" he cried out.

"Sorry!" Syrvic yelled back.

"No you're not!" the griffin hollered.

"Look out!" Quen screamed over both of them. The three of them went crashing into a flat area of rock, none of them having noticed how close to the ground they'd gotten. Themen went tumbling and stopped in an upside-down position up against a low rock wall, while his occupants fell off and each landed in their own painful way. All was quiet, save for their weary moans.

It took Quen, Syrvic, and Themen to recover, and even then it was not easy. They could hear parts of the airship and the wasps raining down nearly a mile away. Quen was the first to get up, though he was as unsteady as the others. As Syrvic picked himself up, the scarecrow went over to see how the griffin was doing. He managed to get the beast to roll over and slide down off the wall.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Mommy, I don't wanna go to school today," Themen whined in a stupor, "the kids all wanna sting me."

"_Themen!_" Quen snapped in horror, "Get a hold of yourself!" he tried shaking the griffin, but he was too heavy for the scarecrow to do much.

"Let me fix this," Syrvic told him. He slapped the griffin so hard his head went to the side.

"Ow! Quit hurting me!" the griffin said, coming to his senses. He rubbed his aching jaw.

"You're mean! First you pull my ears, then you slap me! Quit it!"

"You weren't yourself, Themen," Quen told him.

"And I only did that with your ears because you were gonna slam right into that rock tower over there. You got us over it." He pointed at the distant pillar of volcanic rock.

"Don't do it again!" Themen went nose-to-nose with Syrvic, not realizing the feral growl in his voice or his hackles rising up. Surprised, the robot backed off.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry."

"Where are we?" Quen asked, looking around. Syrvic turned on his extra senses and scanned the area. Belatedly, Themen looked at each of his wings, remembering something.

"I can't believe it." The others glanced at him.

"I actually flew! I flew!" the griffin started leaping for joy, "I've never done that before! That was amazing!"

"You saved our lives too," Quen said happily.

"Yes I did!" Themen agreed, "I can't believe what I've been missing all these years!"

"Shhh!" Syrvic quickly quieted them, "I'm happy for you, but there are monsters here. Don't make them curious." Themen and Quen instantly quieted. The two of them gathered around the robot as he continued to scan the area.

"What do you see?" Quen whispered.

"I think we're close," the robot whispered back, "there's something really hot about a mile that way." He pointed towards the northeast.

"Let's go then," the scarecrow urged. With that, they moved along as quickly and quietly as they could. It wasn't easy to see, considering how dark the Black Norn's kingdom was, though with the erupting volcanoes in the distance and the crackling lightning helped a little in terms of light. Several times they had to hide from some monster or a group of them going past. It was bad enough getting attacked from the air. It would have been worse if they'd been caught on the ground.

Eventually the threesome noticed the ground rising, and they came to a huge pile of rocks that stretched between two dead volcanoes. They climbed as carefully as possible over the sharp, spiky, hardened lava flow until they could peek over the rim. What they saw made their jaws drop. In the great plain below stretched a vast, seemingly endless army of Wiks. Never in their lives had they seen so many, possibly over a hundred thousand in all. The lights of their torches and camps lit the entire basin up, revealing a massive caldera in the center. Quen, Syrvic, and Themen's eyes followed the thin waterfalls of glowing orange lava up, and up, until they too were awed by the terrifying marvel of the giant stone witch's hat.

"What is that?" Themen asked, his pulse going up.

"The Black Norn's fortress, it's gotta be," Quen said, "Dena's gotta be somewhere in that horrible place."

"It only makes sense," Syrvic agreed.

"There's only one thing we can do," Quen told the others, "we gotta get her out…somehow."

* * *

**Well, so the Black Norn didn't anticipate how resourceful Dena's friends are. Let's hope they can keep it up.**

**This chapter was partially inspired by a deleted scene that was cut from the **_**Wizard of Oz**_** film before it was released into theaters. It was called "The Jitterbug Scene." It was referenced by the Wicked Witch of the West when she told her flying monkeys, "I sent a little insect on ahead to take the fight out of them." They were these fuzzy, pink and blue bugs, that when they bit Dorothy and her friends, they danced helplessly. They attacked before the flying monkeys did, though I'm not sure how it turned out. All I know is, the jitterbugs left and the gang quit dancing before the monkeys showed up. Though it does explain why the Tin Man was carrying a butterfly net and the Lion a giant can of bug-spray. **

**This was the most famous cut scene from the movie, and there are others I'll mention later. The scene where the Wicked Witch tried taking the Ruby Slippers from Dorothy actually involved...wait for it...apple juice! Can you believe it? That was apple juice squirting out under Judy Garland's feet, with some light added for effect, lol.  
**


	25. The Witch's Revelation

**Hi everybody! Guess who's back? Me! :D And your fave Oz friends! I haven't written in over a year because I was having issues with college and it made me lose interest in writing for a while. Then recently, my family moved to another state and things were just crazy. Even now we're still settling into our new house. **

**It took me a while to figure out how the 2nd half of this chapter was gonna turn out, but it finally just came to me and my fingers got busy :). **

**I also have a surprise for all you readers. Since this site now allows our stories to have "book covers," I made one just for this fanfic :D. You can't see it very well on here, so I put a copy on my page at Deviant Art. It's here:  lady aquanine 73551 .deviantart art /Eldan -s-Mage -Story- Cover- 334037732?q= gallery%3 Aladyaquanine 73551% 2 F30621443& qo=0 **

**Let's see what's gonna happen next, after waiting so long…**

* * *

Dena heard the iron door open and glanced over to see the Black Norn standing in the entryway. She had been expecting some new form of torture or execution for the witch to use on her. Instead, the girl was very surprised to see the Norn holding Tahoe in her arms and petting him a very deliberate fashion. Dena remained silent, staring as the Black Norn entered the room. Tahoe seemed okay, though he too was very quiet and nervous, especially with the witch's long, white, clawed hand stroking ever so carefully over his fur. Nothing the Norn had done so far had proved to be nice, and this visit was probably not an exception. Plus, Dena felt a growing flame of anger licking the edges of her resolve at seeing her beloved Tahoe in the hands of that horrible woman.

"What a lovely little pet you have here," the Black Norn commented, stroking Tahoe's furry head. She then snapped her fingers and a whiff of black smoke suddenly rose up from her worktable, materializing into a wrought-iron cage; to which she abruptly stuffed the pup into. Tahoe squealed in pain and fright.

"Don't you _dare _hurt him!" Dena cried out, her fear and anger rising. She fought with her iron restraints, wishing she had just a _little_ magic to get out of this mess. The Norn took up her staff and fixed her black gaze on the girl.

"That all depends on you, Dena." She spat the teen's name like an insult.

"What's _that _supposed to mean?" Dena demanded.

"It means that if you don't give me those anklets, I'll have your dog swimming in lava faster than scat through a goose!" Reddish-orange flames began forming a ghostly glow around the Norn, and Dena had a feeling things would get ugly real fast.

"Gilda advised me against it, thank you, and now I'm starting to see why," the girl replied.

"_Hah!_" the witch spat, making Dena jump.

"You listen to the feeble words of a raving lunatic like her! You really _are _a fool." The Black Norn instantly turned and barked,

"Picks! Throw him into the lava pool!"

Dena happened to notice little brown creatures resembling tiny winged gremlins on the witch's worktable. Two had immediately grabbed the cage with Tahoe inside and were already headed towards the balcony. The girl's pulse skyrocketed in terror.

"No!" she screamed. The Picks froze, their mistress looking at Dena with a pleased, if creepy-looking smile.

"A change of heart, perhaps?"

Dena's mouth became a hard line as she bit her lip and glanced back and forth between Tahoe and the Norn. A lump formed in her throat, for she couldn't bear to see her beloved puppy killed, but neither could she bear the idea of giving the Norn her Anklets. Who knows what she would do once she had them? But the girl had no choice and hung her head in shame. The witch saw her decision immediately and signaled the Picks to back off.

"So, you're willing to hand them over now?" she asked in a soft, quiet, dangerous tone. Dena didn't look up, but merely nodded and murmured,

"Yeah, go ahead." However, as the Black Norn kneeled down to unhook the ruby strands, Dena then said,

"But I wanta know one thing."

The witch looked up with an annoyed expression.

"Why do you want these stupid things so badly anyway? They don't seem to really do anything."

Dena immediately got a hard slap in the face, and it took a few moments for her to realize she had thin streaks of blood coming out of her cheek from the Black Norn's nails. The whole left half of her face now stung.

"_Fool!_ How _dare _you blaspheme these Anklets!" the Norn hissed, her frighteningly beautiful face twisted in anger,

"If you had any idea what kind of power you possessed, you wouldn't talk like the undeserving little _chit _you are!" Dena braced herself for another slap, but it didn't come. The Norn merely whirled away from her and then froze, as if something had occurred to her.

She then cocked her head in a smug fashion and foisted the staff onto her shoulder as if it were a parasol.

"I suppose, since you're pathetically short life will be snuffed out soon enough, that I could shed a little light on the subject," the witch said as she turned towards Dena. She began to pace back and forth in front of Dena while slowly, idly twirling the staff in her hands. The girl was inwardly grateful to still have Tahoe and herself alive at that moment, as well as possibly stalling the Black Norn before help might arrive. Though that shred of hope was failing at best. A small part of Dena was relieved at finally getting a possible explanation out of all this.

"Most of us witches learned of the Ruby Anklets in our early schooling, though nobody was willing to speak of their ability. For a long time, rumor had it that they did nothing, and were merely a first attempt by the Nomes to harness magic all those millennia ago. I even accused my twin of being a fool for stealing such paltry gems from the Golden Sorceress.

"But I made a discovery very recently about them, and was furious that my sister had made fools out of everyone, including herself. In all that time of owning them, she never figured out what they could do, and I wasn't about to let her waste any more time wearing them. That storm would have been one of the most brilliant ideas I had ever conceived, but then _you _showed up."

Dena's attention snapped into focus.

"Wait, what? What storm? The one that brought me here?" She stared wide-eyed at the Norn, not believing what she was hearing. The witch narrowed her eyes at the girl.

"Yes," she said finally, "that one."

"How—"

"—Most witches are too spineless to create magic-induced storms," the Norn broke in, "They love their bright sunshine and gentle rain-showers." She let out a disgusted noise.

"Makes me sick," she spat. But she continued in her explanation.

"They were all worried about bringing things over from the Other Side, but so what? So we sometimes have strange things raining out of the sky afterwards, but it gets the job done. The professors and Elders used to forbid us, saying that any time we created a storm, another one would form on the Other Side, inducing great whirlwinds equal or greater to ours, and things would cross over from their world to ours and vice versa. But now I see that perhaps they had a good reason for the ban."

"Oh my God…" Dena let out, now feeling absolutely floored, "_You're _the one who got me into this mess! _You're_ the one who created that storm that tore my house to pieces!"

"Yes," the Norn said, now starting to enjoy the girl's outrage, "though thankfully it's a mistake I won't make a second time." She stopped pacing and approached Dena with a malicious look of satisfaction in her blazing black eyes, as if she were a triumphant cat ready to deliver the killing blow to the mouse.

Dena then briefly saw something that gave her an idea, but she quickly locked her eyes back on the witch.

"Wait!" she cried out.

"Now what?" the woman snarled, banging her staff into the stone floor. A small tremor could be heard outside. Dena kept eye contact, much as it frightened her to stare into the face of her executioner and adversary.

"What about the Witch War?"

Now the Black Norn was caught off-guard, a nasty frown forming on her face.

"What does _that _have to do with anything?" she demanded harshly.

"You were there, you were one of the last witches left after it was all over," Dena spoke quickly, hoping to distract the Norn just a few minutes more,

"What caused it?"

The dark witch suddenly had Dena by the throat, her long nails digging into her neck and jaw.

"How do you know that? How in antiquity's _name_ did you hear about all that?" the witch hissed, outraged now, though it puzzled Dena that she wasn't choking her and acting like she'd just spilled a state secret.

"Gilda told me," the girl answered, "and the people in this place talk about the Witch War all the time. I even saw paintings. But nobody will tell me what really happened. Maybe you could." Something changed in the Norn's expression, and she shoved the girl away.

"So it appears Gilda still remembers that whole incident. But then again, it was one of my most successful schemes."

"Huh?" Dena said, not understanding. The Norn began to laugh maliciously as she backed away.

"You simpleton—_I _started that war!"

"_What?!_" Dena's mouth fell open. The witch was now cackling with delight, and it was in that moment that she truly seemed like a woman of her profession—all she would have needed was a pointy hat and a broom. But she remained the frightening, white-skinned, armored, scantily clad she-demon Dena had come to fear and hate.

The girl fought to keep a straight face and carefully asked,

"Why?"

"Competition!" the Black Norn exclaimed, "It's hard to make a name for yourself in this place when you've got dozens of other dark witches doing the exact same thing, always squabbling for power and their own little kingdoms; and _undermining_ you in the process! It's nearly impossible to take over this rotten, goody two-shoes place when other witches start working your side of the realm. I knew the only way to cut off the competition was to cut off the source. But the school wouldn't have been enough, though I took great pleasure in seeing it and all the professors burn later."

Dena started feeling sick at this. She'd known plenty of kids that hated school back at home, but none of them had ever actually carried out their threats or desires to burn down the schools she attended, and she knew none of them had ever been serious about it.

_You are one sick bitch_, she thought venomously.

Thankfully, the Black Norn couldn't read minds, and continued to pace and gloat, all the while turning her staff over in her hands and idly admiring it.

"Who would have thought that stupid Nome King had never passed on the great knowledge he possessed. It was so easy, eliminating him from the scene. The Nomes haven't been the same since, and neither have witches or warlocks. It didn't take much to get the actual fighting started. A little underhanded goading here, a faulty anklet there, a few juicy rumors to boot, and that was all it took. And no one could match me in battle. I live for blood-sport, especially if it's the blood of my enemies."

She licked her lips with delight. Bile began to well up in the back of Dena's throat, and she shut out the images the Norn was implying as fast as she could from her mind.

"The war almost destroyed Eldan," the girl said in a small voice.

"Oh, no, no, no, no," the Black Norn disagreed, "Eldan is far too valuable for that. What good is a war when one cannot enjoy the spoils of it? But then those three _pips_ had to survive and defeat my sister and me. We had little choice but to retreat to the lands we'd gained in the war, and then my twin had to get too big for her britches and try stealing _my _lands and magic. I taught her a lesson, and she's paid for it, all the way up until your infernal house gored her."

Dena saw the source of her rising hope again, and had to ask one more question.

"But why would you want to take over Eldan anyway? It's not exactly heaven, or in your case, hell on earth." The witch gave her a very strange look, but kept on going, her enthusiasm growing with each revelation.

"Even back in the days of my schooling, I knew Eldan had become less than what it should have been. It would have been easier in early times when wars were common and kingdoms were everywhere, but I was not born in such a time. Eldan had become…_united,_" she spat the word, "a land of spineless fools ruled by cowards that couldn't face war. Rulers who favored _peace_, when peace is but a dream forged by sheep-brained idiots. I knew someone would have to change it, make it the glorious empire it once was; where the people feared their betters and obeyed without question, where Eldan would see its potential as a war-machine. And when I learned the secrets and great power behind the dark arts, I knew I would be the ruler that would bring Eldan back to glory.

"But there were problems, and I had eliminated all but one. The City of Jade was key to everything, but that infernal Green Warlock was unfortunately smart enough to put up that shield around the capital. I have been unable to penetrate it for centuries, though I have worked during those centuries to build the greatest army Eldan has ever seen, one large enough to make conquest easy, _if _I could find a way around that shield." She then turned to Dena once more, her peculiarly nasty grin back.

"And then I found an obscure source by accident, a mere scrap of parchment hidden in a dusty forgotten corner of the world that gave away Eldan's most prized secret. With those Ruby Anklets, I can now penetrate Jaden's shield and raise it to the ground, and the Mage of Eldan will be powerless to stop me!"

In all the time the Norn had been talking, Tahoe had been sniffing around his cage and pawing at the latch, and Dena happened to notice that it was loose. She'd been hoping and praying he would be smart enough to jiggle it open, and now the pup had done so with his nose. The German Shepherd exploded out of his cage and shot across the room like a streak of brown and black lightning.

"Run Tahoe! Get out of here!" Dena screamed.

The Black Norn snapped out of her reverie and roared,

"Catch him you idiots!" But the little gremlin-like creatures weren't fast enough, and the witch sent a tongue of fire after the pup, who managed to outrun the attack and zip right out the door. The Norn screamed out into the hall to her guards,

"Catch that dog! Don't let him out alive!" She stormed back into the room and stomped over to Dena. She grabbed the girl roughly by the face, digging her sharp nails into the girl's skin and drawing blood. Dena cried out in pain.

"I should have known you were trying to trick me, chit!" the witch snarled,

"Damn you and your mutt! You two have been more trouble than you're both worth, and it's time we ended it. I have other ways of making you give up those Anklets, and I will give you one more chance to think it over while your dog burns."

She went back to her worktable and slammed down a red, wrought-iron hourglass decorated with demonic serpents and filled with black sand.

"You have _this_ long to live," the Black Norn said, placing a finger on the hourglass,

"When this thing empties, so will the life from your body. Enjoy your last hour while you can. I'm not going to wait any longer for those Anklets!" With that, she flew out of the tower room like a hurricane.

The moment the door slammed shut, Dena collapsed, her body limp in the cold iron grip of her restraints. Tears spilled from her eyes unrestrained, their salt burning her already stinging cuts. Poor Tahoe! The girl could only imagine what would become of her beloved friend if he didn't make it out of this horrible place alive, and there was no way to tell if he ever would. Misery weighed down and nearly suffocated her already-battered soul.

"Oh Tahoe," she cried, choking on the tears that dripped down onto the cold stone floor.

**~/~/~/~/~**

Little did Dena know just what sort of adventure Tahoe had. Although the guards attempted to spear and cleave Tahoe with their weapons, they were too slow for him. He was a fast little pup, weaving through their legs and running through the crowded, black stone hallways faster than a rabbit. He even found cracks in the walls to squeeze through, and unwittingly happened to run into a room where some Wik guards were using a portal. The little Shepherd pup ended up getting teleported while on his way through the room.

The small squad of Wiks had been an errand to inspect trouble at one of the training camps out on the rocky plain below the Black Norn's fortress. It was quite a surprise when something small, furry, and brown went darting out from around their ankles when they teleported into the camp. The squad had been unaware of Tahoe, or his escape from the Norn, but they knew lunch when they saw it. The entire camp erupted in Wiks, both armed and unarmed, trying to catch the fast-moving puppy. But even they were no match for the little guy's speed. One Wik actually did catch Tahoe, but was unprepared for the scratching and biting that ensued, letting him go almost immediately.

As Tahoe ran on, his little black nose picked up some familiar scents, and he instantly headed in that direction, for he knew the source of those smells to be friendly in this dark land with its noxious odors.

"Great hoobersnorts!" Syrvic exclaimed, "Look!"

Tahoe came bounding up to the odd trio. Unfortunately, a group of three guards was following the little furball as well.

"Oh crap," Themen moaned before ducking behind the nearby rocks. Syrvic and Quen quickly followed, and all three stayed as quiet as mice when Tahoe stopped at the great, dark boulders, sniffing about for his friends. The three Wiks stopped as well and quickly debated on how they were going to catch "the little brute" as they called him, and how they were going to cook him. Syrvic, Quen, and Themen's eyes widened in outrage at what they heard. The robot was the first to act.

He let out a war cry and leaped out at the guards, smashing into the nearest one like a wrecking ball. The other two Wiks were surprised at first, but immediately rushed to help their comrade. Quen managed to wrestle another pistol out of his belt, though he was a lousy shot when trying to attack the Wiks. Most of his bullets either didn't hit the guards at all, or bounced off their black and red armor. Themen continued to cower behind the rocks, terrified at what the Wiks might do to him if his buddies didn't win the fight. It didn't take long for the soldiers to realize Quen was attacking them. However, as they readied their spears, a pair of green lasers appeared and slashed them both in half at the same time, causing both Wiks to fall to the ground in a double crash of metal. The third Wik didn't rise, due to the fact that Syrvic had bashed his skull in with his metal fist.

When all was quiet, Quen and Themen joined their robot friend at the pile of bodies. The scarecrow picked up Tahoe and petted him, laughing when the pup licked his burlap face.

"Now how did you get here?" he asked the little Shepherd.

"I thought he was snatched along with Dena," Syrvic said.

"He must have gotten out somehow," Themen guessed. The trio glanced up at the giant floating stone fortress, now feeling very confused. They knew nothing of the Black Norn's teleportation system, so the mystery was very mind-boggling to them.

"However he got out, we gotta find some way in there," Quen declared, glancing up at the stone witch's hat.

"And how do you propose we do that?" Syrvic demanded, "It's not like we got Caddy here with a taxi, all ready to go."

"Taxi…" the scarecrow repeated thoughtfully. He then gasped.

"That's it! We fly up!"

"How?" Syrvic wanted to know.

"Themen!" Quen leaped with delight, "_He _can get us all up there." The griffin immediately backed off.

"Uh-uh! No way!" he protested, "There's _no _way I'm going up into that scary place!"

"But Themen," Quen pointed out, "didn't you say you loved flying before?"

"Um…well…" the beast was somewhat at a loss for words.

"It's the only way we're gonna be able to save Dena," Syrvic told Themen, "you're gonna have to get over your fear of heights, if only for her." Fear and guilt warred with the griffin's features, for he was unable to decide which was worse; flying up to a really high fortress, or one of his only real friends dying at the hands of a horrible witch.

The threesome then heard a horrible roaring noise and looked upwards. They saw what looked like flying black clouds, darker than the dark sky, flying about the great stone hat. Syrvic used his single green eye to magnify what he saw, and was taken aback. The clouds were even more disturbing up close, for Wiks rode on them, and each had a terrible, toothy maw in front. The robot could only conclude one thing.

"Well, that's the end of our plan," he said unhappily.

"What?" Quen asked as Themen breathed a sigh of relief.

"It looks like the witch has flying monsters on air patrol. Even if we got Themen airborne, those things would catch us, and we'd be mincemeat."

"Oh great," the scarecrow said with defeat.

"We gotta find some other way in," Syrvic said, though he didn't really feel all that enthusiastic right now.

Quen sat down on a rock and gazed down into the rocky plain at the vast army camps. His friends joined him, and Tahoe whined and pawed at his leg, unable to understand what was wrong. There was nothing the scarecrow wanted more than to rescue the girl he loved. But he and his friends were powerless at the moment. The scarecrow hadn't felt this overwhelmed since the time the Black Norn had set her fire dogs on him and his friends.

It was then that Quen noticed big columns of smoke coming from various parts of the great plain beyond. They were much too big for campfires, and much too dark to be smoke coming from wood fires.

"Syrvic?"

"What?"

"What's making those big smoke clouds?" the scarecrow asked, pointing. Syrvic magnified his vision to where Quen was pointing. He studied the source for a moment before answering.

"Those are smelters. They're processing metal to be made into armor and weapons for the Wiks," he said as he observed. The robot's eye then widened in shock.

"Jiminy Horcromps!" he shot up from his seat.

"What?" Quen and Themen asked in surprise."

"Those rotten Wiks are making cannons!" the robot cried out, "Not only are they gonna invade Jaden soon, they plan on blasting her to bits! They got enough gunpowder to fill a lake!"

"Wait a minute…" Quen murmured, the parts all coming together. His blue eyes grew wide with excitement.

"Guys! I got an idea!"

A few hours later, Quen and Syrvic, clad in the Wik armor of the dead soldiers, sat upon a very dark and sooty Themen, with Tahoe securely in the scarecrow's lap.

"Are you sure this is necessary?" Quen remembered Themen saying as he and the robot had smeared volcanic ash into his fur and feathers.

"It'll make you harder to see, I hope," the scarecrow remembered explaining.

"Let's just hope that armor doesn't weigh you down," the robot told Quen as they worked. Themen was much too big and the wrong shape to wear any of the armor, so they had not put any on him.

The scarecrow and Syrvic had snuck into the camp where the nearest smelter and gunpowder cache was. Despite their disguises, the robot had warned that they might still look suspicious, so they'd kept out of sight anyway. They managed to sneak over and take a couple of barrels of gunpowder from the stacked pyramid without any guards noticing, and carefully worked their way back to Themen's hiding place, leaving a trail of dark powder behind as they moved.

"Ready?" Quen asked as they stood on the nearest rock outcropping.

"Yes," Syrvic replied.

"No!" Themen protested.

Tahoe let out an eager yip.

Ignoring the griffin, Quen gave the signal.

"Go!" he said. With a quick zap of one of Syrvic's lasers, a spark leaped from the nearby powder and shot off down the rocky slope. The Wiks sharpening weapons in one of the camps heard a strange noise and saw sparks flashing by, unsure of what to make of it. The Wiks working in the foundry didn't hear anything due to the noise of their work, and the men guarding the cache didn't see the spark until the last minute.

A tremendous and ear-splitting explosion blasted into the night sky, lighting up the whole western half of the great plain. It blinded nearby Wiks that _hadn't _been blown up as well, and caused a small firestorm to spread out among the various foundries and camps.

The Black Norn happened to have been in one of her courtyards, watching her men training as she waited for her guards to retrieve Tahoe, when she heard the explosion. She and her bodyguards rushed over to the nearest ramparts and stared in shock at the huge column of fire rising up out of the western camps.

"What the _hell _is going on over there?!" the witch demanded to no one in particular. She immediately ordered several Night-catchers over.

"Slade!" she barked at her right-hand man, "Watch the fortress!" With that, she and several Wiks flew down to investigate the vast fire that now burned.

"Now!" Quen yelled when he saw the black clouds flying away from the stone witch's hat.

"But guys—ahh!" Themen's protest was cut off when Syrvic pinched him in the rear, causing the griffin to howl in pain as he practically fell off the bluff.

"Spread your wings, Themen!" the scarecrow yelled. The griffin managed to open his wings enough to catch an updraft before they all crashed to the ground. Syrvic and Quen held on tight to the beast, for fear of falling off. Quen had Tahoe in a pouch he'd found on one of the guards, so he could keep his hands free, though the pup was now terrified at the wild ride the four of them were on.

"Remember," Quen shouted over the wind, "this is for Dena! Climb!" Themen did his best, not really sure what he was doing as he flapped his darkened wings. He could barely feel his heart beating at top speed, his breathing labored as his big lungs sucked in cold, ashy air.

"Don't worry, I'm doing this for her too," the griffin replied, "Even if we don't survive, I'm going in there and tearing those guards and that witch a new one! Even if they tear me apart, I'll die knowing we at least tried to save Dena. I just want you guys to do one thing for me when we get up there."

"What's that?" Syrvic and Quen asked.

"Tell me this was all a dream; a very bad dream."

The pair groaned and each slapped the griffin in annoyance.

It seemed to take forever, and after several close calls, they managed to climb the thermals to reach the central tower of the fortress, all of them fearful that they'd been spotted by guards. There wasn't any real sign of pursuit from the air, thankfully, seeing as most of the scary-looking clouds had come down to inspect the explosion. Themen aimed for the nearest terrace outside the main tower, but it soon became clear that they weren't going to land softly.

"Themen, you're going too fast!" Syrvic warned, but it was too late. The threesome landed almost as hard as they had when escaping the exploding airship. Thankfully, this time, Themen was still right-side up, despite the pain he felt in his paws and legs. Quen and Syrvic got up and noted they'd lost some of their disguise armor, but aside from some dents and such, all three were okay. Even Tahoe was doing fine, though he whined and leaped from the pouch Quen had carried him in.

"We made it," the scarecrow whispered with delight. He and Syrvic helped Themen to his feet and quickly took in their surroundings. The robot took on a determined stance.

"And now, to find Dena."

* * *

**So now we finally learn some of Eldan's darkest secrets, including how Dena got there in the first place. **

**It never made much sense to me how some random tornado just sucks up Dorothy's house and tosses her to the Land of Oz. There had to be something that caused it not to drop her in a nearby county or another state in our world, something supernatural. So there you go. **

**I was five when I first saw "Wizard of Oz," and more than once dad made me laugh when we got to the part where Dorothy's friends were watching the Winkii Guards at the front entrance to the Wicked Witch's castle. He would sing, "Or-ee-oh! Oreo cookie! Or-ee-oh! Oreo cookie!" Lol xD. I recently went to see Disney/Pixar's "Wreck-It Ralph" with my dad and brother, and I almost died laughing when they did a parody on that scene. They had actual Oreo cookies guarding the entrance to a castle in the Sugar Rush game, doing that same chant! Rofl!**

**The biggest challenge was doing the 2nd half of this chapter, because I couldn't quite figure out how Dena's friends were going to get into a floating fortress, especially since it was heavily guarded, and Themen couldn't disguise himself as one of the guards like the Lion could in the original story. So once again, I had to find alternate ways for them to get in. **


End file.
